The Way to a Man's Heart is Through his Stomach?
by ClumsyPinkTiger
Summary: Post-Time Skip. Nami begrudgingly realizes after all this time that she is and has been in love with Luffy. Unfortunately for Sanji, she comes up with a devious plan to express her feelings to him involving mealtimes. Will it backfire? Typical fuzzy Mugiwara tropes that we all love and general hilarity. Somehow, Robin knows Luffy will have the last laugh...poor Nami.
1. Breakfast

**~I do not own the wonderful Straw Hats or the One Piece universe; I'm only borrowing it from the Great Eiichiro Oda. **

**~_I also do not own the amazing image used for this story. It's created by the amazing IamAsami and called (very fitingly) "Look Into My Heart." Thank you, IamAsami for giving me permission to use it for my story! IT'S perfect!~~Without further ado, enjoy!_  
**

**Chapter I: Breakfast**

She was furious. She was ready to throttle something-smash something to bits. She just couldn't stand him! How could he! _No, how could you, _the rational side of her mind supplied. _How could I go and fall in love with him?! _

"TCH!" Nami's eyebrow twitched.

She stomped around the lower deck. The sun was only just started to rise over the calm turquoise blue water of the this part of the grand line, which appeared to be in a summer climate for the foreseeable future (thank god). She had gotten up early like always to check the Thousand Sunny's course after Zoro had gone to sleep from his watch shift.

Or rather, she hadn't just gotten up, she'd been unable to sleep for the past several nights because of dreams of him and his stupid big heart-warming smile and his unkillable spirit and his monster strength and his idiot laugh and his incredibly toned abs and his soft black, musk-spice-scented hair and those big soulful eyes of his . . .

"NOT HELPING!" Nami yelled as she slapped her cheeks to stop thinking of him. She stomped around some more. Realizing she was pacing, she huffed and stood still for a minute with her arms crossed as if to spite herself.

She hadn't even managed to put her shoes on before coming out to deck to check on the ship; so, she stomped around barefoot-thank god for Franky and his wacky-albeit helpful-designs and the soft grassy lawn on the deck of the ship. She wiggled her toes in the grass to try to calm down. But, anyone who saw her would be able to tell she was anything but calm.

Her long, shiny, orange hair looked messy and tangled from thrashing about in her sheets all night out of frustration. Thankfully, Robin now shared a room with Franky, so she at least didn't have to deal with the clever woman knowing exactly what was going on. Although, no doubt, Robin would be able to piece things together regardless; she was alarmingly smart and perceptive and as a beloved nakama, she knew Nami painfully well.

Hell, if any of the crew saw Nami in this state, they would know something was up; except perhaps the object of her affection himself, who still remained as oblivious as ever-except when it really counted when someone was in pain or in danger; then he showed this god-like perceptiveness that was downright disarming. _And sexy. _

"ARRRGHH! That IDIOT. THAT GIANT RUBBER CHEW TOY." _That only means we want to put him in our mou-_

"Noo!" She slapped her face again. "How can this be happening? How long have I-?" Nami thought back. When did she fall in love with him? She thought he was incredibly attractive from day one, which aggravated her and only made her want to steal from him even more. But, she'd certainly admit how attractive he was-and his appeal only grew as they got older and he got stronger and more cut up. She trembled in realization.

"Was it when he saved me from Arlong? That was _ages _ago. . ." She whispered almost afraid to proceed. Somewhere in her mind, she knew that the process had started even before that. It was beginning to sound like she wasn't just in-love with him, but that he was her true love.

"AHHH!" Nami screamed and then clamped her hand over her mouth in an effort not to wake everyone up.

After hearing nothing but the creaking of the ship and the sound of the sea crashing against the hull, she relaxed. But, the fact still remained. She had for fallen for one of her nakama.

Nami grumbled and jumped up and down and stomped her feet like a 2 year old.

She was so anxious to actually do something and get out of her bedroom and get her mind off him, that she left her room without going through her normal morning routines: like brushing her hair, her teeth, or even glancing in the mirror. She had only managed to slap on a pair of her legendary short-shorts and a nondescript grass-green tight fitting t-shirt. She didn't even put on a bra or one of her bikinis. Plus, she actually really did like getting up early after Zoro, who always took the last watch, so she could check on the ship and get some moments of zen watching the sunrise before the rest of the crew woke up and the hustle and bustle began.

But there would be no zen for Nami today because she had just realized she was in love with her senchou, one Monkey D. Luffy.

Her limits reached from lack of sleep over thinking of him and her failed attempts at living in denial for so long, Nami ridiculously started to cry and sank to the grass on the deck. She sat there on her butt with her knees bent awkwardly around her like a child that had fallen and was waiting for her mother to come put a band-aid on her boo-boo.

"Whyyyyy….why does it have to be Luffy." She sniffed. "He's such a MORON!" Certainly not plagued by tears of sadness, Nami's tears at the moment were the last shred of her pride leaving her as she finally owned up to the fact that she was truly, madly, deeply in love with him.

Now at rock bottom, Nami could finally smile in pure joy as she thought of him and how he made her feel and best of all, he was right there sleeping close by on the Sunny Go. She could already hear his voice in her head, screaming like a jackass for food. Her tears renewed, however, when she thought of two slight problems: would he feel the same way, and more importantly, how would she tell him of her feelings so that he would understand. Now Nami was wailing.

"NOOOOO! Why does he have to be such an idiot! How the hell can I make him understand without tying him to the mast and . . ." She blushed at her own perverted idea and shook her head to snap out of it. As fun as her hentai idea might have been, there was no way Nami could do that with the rest of the crew around, plus, restraining Luffy was downright impossible.

If one of the crew had managed to figure out how to restrain him before, Nami could only imagine the _hundreds _of times they could have prevented disasters caused by Luffy wandering off because he 'smelled adventure.' She sighed. She had to be fair to her feelings. The idiot part of Luffy, the carefree, fearless, optimist is one of many reasons that she loved him. If she could restrain him, he wouldn't be Luffy. No, she'd have to come up with another way to express her feelings to him so he'd understand.

Her senses coming back to her somewhat because of her epiphany and the nice catharsis she had by crying like a priss on the grass, Nami stood up and took stock of herself. She twitched. _Do I really want him to see me like this? First thing? _She turned to eye the sun's growing image on the horizon. The sunrise not completely over, she knew that no one else would be up for another fifteen minutes or so. So she had time.

Quickly making her way back to her cabin, she brushed her teeth first and then brushed the more prominent tangles out of her hair. Satisfied, she eyed what she was wearing. The shorts were fine and comfortable, but she hesitated with her shirt and remaining bra-less. This was Luffy and she wanted to get his attention, but she had more dignity than literally waving her hard nipples in his face through her shirt, right? Right.

Blushing again for a minute as she considered remaining this way, she slapped herself for the third time this morning and quickly took off the green t-shirt and put on a simple black bikini top-that also happened to be the nicest fitting bikini top she had. It also gave her the correct, 'look I'm hot, but I don't give a crap about trying too hard' look she was going for.

She froze as she heard a guitar playing on the deck outside. _Brook's up and playing one of his morning song that starts out quiet, which means everyone else isn't far behind-especially when Brook's song starts to get louder!_

Walking back out of her cabin and stopping at the railing on the upper deck, she re-checked the course (she was at her wit's end earlier and might have missed something) and waved to Brook.

"Good morning Nami-san!" Brook said cheerily over his guitar playing. Nami smiled back.

She felt much better-normal almost. But, still, what options did she have for her Luffy situation? She knew she felt better now that she was no longer in denial, but she had a feeling her inability to sleep would be back with avengence tonight if she didn't make an effort to express her feelings to the object of them.

Brook still very much involved in playing his Guitar on the lower deck, Nami put her elbows on the railing and her face in her palms.

"Hmmm…" Her brow creased in thought.

_So, tying Luffy to the mast and ravishing him was obviously out as she determined earlier. She could go to Robin for advice. . .No, I don't want her giggling and meddling. I still have my pride-plus she had a feeling Robin would be meddling somehow anyway as soon as she put two-and-two together. She could push Zoro to have a 'guy talk' with Luffy by threatening to raise Zoro's debt? No, Zoro can be even thicker than Luffy sometimes. . .and ugh how humiliating would that be!? _

She heard humming coming from the lower deck area where the door to the boy's rooms were. All the guys, except Zoro who slept in the crow's nest, and Franky who slept in the back of the ship near his work space (that he now shared with Robin), slept down there, which meant the humming was coming from . . .

Nami saw a cute set of little antlers peek out from under the overhang of the top deck as Chopper's hooves made their way onto the grassy lower deck. He was rubbing sleep from his eyes and humming along to Brook's song as he sat down in the grass to listen. After he settled, his nose twitched as he no doubt smelled Nami and turned to smile at her.

"Hi Nami! It's beautiful this morning!" Chopper said as he giggled at her.

"Hai! Good morning, Chopper!"

Calmed again by the presence of another one of her nakama; Nami found herself smiling even more. Her life felt just wonderful now. She had the best nakama in the world and she was in love with the future Pirate King! Renewed yet again, Nami continued her contemplation of how to explain her feelings to Luffy. _I could just tell him? No, no. That's way too easy. _

She heard some more shifting from below deck as another one of the boys was no doubt getting up. _It should be Sanji getting up next to start on cooking breakfast . . ._She could hear muffled chanting when the lower level door opened.

"Mellorine. Mellorine. Mellorine." Sure enough, it was Sanji.

"Good Morning Sanji-kun!" Nami winked at him.

"NAMI-SCHWWAN! Good Morning!" He noodled all over the lower deck with hearts in his eyes.

"How did you sleep my beautiful Nami-schwan?" He called up to her.

"All right." She answered somewhat truthfully. Sanji of course took it to the extreme.

"MY BEAUTIFUL LADY! Are you ill? I will prepare extra meat and juice for you this morning so you can recover your vitality!" He sped off like a bullet to the kitchen. Nami sighed as she heard him crashing around in the kitchen to get breakfast started.

_So, what other options did she have for expressing her feelings to Luffy? Maybe I should just be direct with him. _She tried to imagine how sweet he could be during a nice evening dinner.

She was jolted out of her thoughts of Shoujo-romance-Luffy as Brook's guitar solo rose to something closer to rock-concert volumes.

Several crashes were heard below deck followed by loud footsteps ascending the stairs and the door slamming open.

"SANJIIIIIII! MEAT!" His yell was so loud, Brook stopped playing all together and bowed good morning to the much louder Luffy. Chopper had stars in his eyes as he admired Luffy's monster-yell. Nami's eyebrow twitched.

With no response from Sanji in the kitchen, Luffy continued his stomping toward his end goal and slammed open the kitchen door.

"SANJI MEAT!" He yelled again. At least this time the yell was dampened a bit by him being inside the kitchen. Nami growled in irritation. She could only imagine how loud it must be to Sanji who took the yell in his eardrums at point blank in an enclosed space. Sometimes Nami could swear that Luffy infused a bit of Haki into his demands for food. She grumbled.

"All he thinks about is food first thing when he walks up and almost all day long-" Nami's eyes took on a devilish glow.

"DAMNIT YOU SHITTY RUBBER CAPTAIN! THAT EXTRA MEAT IS FOR NAMI-SAN! GO WAIT OUTSIDE UNTIL I'M FINISHED!" Several loud kicking noises were heard as Luffy came flying out of the kitchen with a bump on his head. Nami now knew _exactly _how to get Luffy's attention.

With everyone settled at the table now for breakfast, Nami found herself sitting _right _next to Luffy. It was only half by accident. By the time she got over her own teenage-girl-like nerves about seeing the man she is now aware that she is in love with, there were only two seats left at the table; one in between Chopper and Robin on one side and one in between Luffy and Usopp on the other side.

Before she knew what she was doing, her body just made its way right in between Luffy and Usopp, which Robin took note of because Nami almost never sat between those two because of the food that flew everywhere as a result. Robin smiled to herself, which Franky, who sat right beside her, noticed out of the corner of his eye. He raised his eyebrows in reaction. He knew his girl would tell him what she noticed later. Franky blushed at how close they had become.

Now that everyone but Sanji was seated, as he was serving the food, Nami attempted with gusto to subdue the blush that was coloring her cheeks. Sitting next to Luffy would help better with her plan anyway. But, she couldn't help but eye him: his slightly mussed hair from sleep, his confident chin, the way his shorts clung to his hips as he sat in the chair, his incredible smell-

"SANJI. MEAT. SANJI. MEAT. SANJI MEAT." _The way he is banging his utensils on the table, causing everyone's plates to bounce all over the place._

Still blushing, but now also reddening with irritation, Nami smacked him upside the head.

"OWWWWW. NAAAAMIII." Luffy whined at her, but didn't cease and desist with the banging and stomping. Hearing him whine her name in her current state managed to somehow increase her irritation while also turning her on. _What the hell is wrong with me!? How can I be turned on and irritated with him at the same time. _

"DON'T COMPLAIN TO HER YOU SHITTY CAPTAIN! YOU'RE THE ONE MAKING ALL THIS NOISE." Sanji raised his leg in a threatening gesture with his hand full of plates, which was no doubt a testament to his incredible balance.

"BUT I'M HUNGRRRRRYYYY!" Luffy gestured to his mouth with both utensils as he whined.

"Yea, me too Sanji!" Usopp announced on Nami's other side.

"Yes, Sanji-san I too am particularly ravenous this morning." Brook added.

Nami was ready to go into full-thermonuclear-explosion mode. Thankfully, Sanji deposited her plate in front of her at just the nick of time. He then reached across the table and gave Robin her plate first as well.

"First, a beatific breakfast for the wonderful ladies. Nami-schwan, I gave you an extra helping of meat this morning. Please enjoy it my gorgeous, LADIES!" Sanji announced with hearts in his eyes.

Nami eyed her overflowing plate with an evil glimmer. It was filled to the brim with eggs prepared 3 different ways, bacon, sausage, some sort of chicken casserole, ham, fresh fruits, and toast. The toast was shaped into little hearts with smaller hearts made in blueberry jam on top. It was an absolutely absurd amount of food and Nami knew there was no way in hell she would finish it-but that was the point. She snickered.

Beside her she could actually hear Luffy salivating.

"WHY DOES NAMI HAVE SO MUCH MEAT!? SANJIIIIII!" Luffy cried.

Usopp just scowled at her plate.

"TOUCH her food SHITTY CAPTAIN and you DIE!" Sanji screamed as he was in the kitchen. Nami wondered how in the name of god Luffy was managing to restrain himself. He was still pounding on the table.

"Hey, shit cook. Luffy wouldn't complain so much if you weren't so SLOW in bringing the rest of us your terrible food." Nami was impressed that Zoro actually managed to go a grand total of two minutes without baiting Sanji somehow.

"WHAT did you say about my cooking you putrid puke marimo!?" Sanji stomped into the kitchen as Zoro stood up and they grumbled at each other like two bulls. Unfortunately, Zoro's inciting of Sanji only caused further delay in everyone else in getting their food.

With Sanji thoroughly distracted, Nami figured now was as good a time as any and took one of the smaller pieces of bacon from her plate with her fingers with the intent of pretending to eat it. She mentally apologized to Sanji as she knew he would take what she was about to do the hardest, but that was part of her plan.

"Mmmmm, bacon. I just loooove meat." She said in a sensual voice.

All eyes turned to her and Zoro and Sanji stopped mid-fight; Zoro's hands froze gripping Sanji's collar and Sanji's leg was just about to trip Zoro. Nami could feel Luffy's eyes on her and she smirked when she heard the just barely perceptible gasp he made.

As she started to bring the strip of bacon to her mouth, she moaned one more time for good measure. She could hear silverware fall onto the table from her Nakama as everyone watched. She leaned her head back ridiculously like what she was about to eat was the food of the gods and not just some bacon.

Just as she was about to drop the bacon into her mouth, she deliberately dropped the bacon right in between her enormous breasts in her bikini top, but of course made it look like an accident.

"Oops!" She gasped and used _both hands _to touch her breasts and squeeze them together in an effort to get the bacon out. Upon retrieving said piece of bacon, she ate it, slowly licked her fingers and then used her fingers on her chest to get the rest of the bacon grease, sighing and moaning in joy all the while.

Everyone in the room exploded into a nosebleed.

Sanji was of course the worst and lifted full off the floor, hit the ceiling, punched a hole in the roof, drifted above deck for a few seconds and collapsed into a pool of his nosebleed blood in the grass outside, whilst twitching and muttered in unadulterated joy.

Zoro, stumbled noticeably and fell to his knees for a minute, which says a lot, Nami thought as almost no opponent could bring him to his knees. Usopp fell backwards in his chair and twitched behind the table on the floor. Brook, who obviously doesn't have blood anymore (as he would no doubt mention in a skull-joke) merely "YOHOHO-D" and also fell backwards onto the floor in his chair in much the same fashion as Usopp.

Nami heard Franky yell out "SUPPPPERRR" and as she looked over at Franky and Robin they were both still seated at the table and Franky's nose was bleeding noticeably, and surprisingly so was Robin's. They both eyed her like they were on to her somehow. Nami blushed.

Poor Chopper was running around in a panic from patient to patient at a complete loss as to why everyone suddenly had a nosebleed and was worrying about blood loss and calling for a doctor.

The one reaction Nami was the most concerned with, Nami saved for checking on last. She turned to look at Luffy, who had no blood on his face and no nosebleed to speak of. He was only staring at her unblinkingly with one of the most intense looks of his she had ever seen.

Nami's heart fell a bit at not seeing the extreme reaction from him she was hoping for. Trying hard not to let it show on her face, although she had a feeling it certainly did for at least a second, she went back to eating normally like nothing had happened.

Across the table, Robin chuckled and dabbed at her diminishing nosebleed with a napkin and smiled at Nami and Luffy; Robin then got up to pick up everyone else's plate of breakfast where Sanji had left them and served them while Franky got up (nose still slightly bleeding) and helped Usopp and Brook right themselves in their chairs. Zoro managed to sway back into his own chair as he sniffed in the rest of the nosebleed.

"Chopper-san, take your food with you and go check on Cook-san, I think he took it the worst." Robin added as she handed Chopper his plate.

"O no! You're right Robin!" With that Chopper ran outside with his plate in hand to tend to Sanji on the deck.

With almost everyone else trying to clear their heads, and get back to a normal breakfast, it was still relatively quiet in the dining room and no one except Robin and Franky noticed the staring contest now taking place between the Captain and the Navigator.

All the while, Luffy's eyes had not once broken from his intense stare with Nami. Nami stared back, unsure of what to think. _Is he angry? Does he think I was mistreating the meat? _

Concerned that her plan might be somehow backfiring, Nami decided that she would definitely up the ante at lunchtime; with Sanji out of commission for a while, as she planned, it should play right into her hands. She smiled and tried not to be discouraged as she continued to eat.

Nami, no doubt due to her delirium and concern over not seeing the reaction she expected from Luffy, failed to notice that both of Luffy's hands we clenched on his knees beneath the table and had been that way since Nami's 'bacon performance.'

Robin had made her rounds and was now serving Luffy last as he continued to stare at Nami.

"Here you are Luffy-san!" Luffy finally broke his stare with Nami and eyed his plate. Robin, who is perhaps one of the most observant of the crew, didn't fail to notice Luffy's clenched fists below the table or the strategic way he had placed his napkin over his groin. Robin chuckled again and returned to her seat.

No one said a single thing about Nami's behavior and everyone resumed eating except Sanji and Chopper who was still outside tending to him. What started out as unusual behavior for Luffy as he was only taking food from his own plate returned to normalcy when he stretched his arm across the table and took a sausage link from Zoro's plate.

"TCH." Zoro grimaced at him and rolled his eyes. Luffy laughed. With that, everyone resumed chatting as normal with Luffy making a mess of things and Usopp complaining the loudest when something was taken from his plate.

Her appetite diminishing as the meal went on, not just because she was full, but because Luffy seemed so well-_damn unaffected _by her performance, Nami huffed in frustration. Deciding she was done eating and should once again check the winds outside, she turned to Luffy.

"Here, Luffy, have the rest of my meat." Silence again fell on the room as Luffy eagerly took her plate.

"WOW! Thanks, Nami!" He poured the remaining mountain of meat onto his plate. Zoro raised his eyebrows at her.

"You alright?" Usopp asked when she stood up and excused herself.

"O yea, I'm just going to go check the course again and see if Chopper needs any help with Sanji." She smiled at everyone as she walked out. Zoro and Usopp shrugged and went back to eating. Brook made a joke about healthy bones and eating meat.

Robin carefully watched Luffy's face as Nami left. He was still eating meat happily from her plate, but she noticed his eyes trailing her intently as she walked out. Robin knew what Nami was up to, but she couldn't wait to see how Nami reacts when she finally figures out that Luffy also knows what she's up to.

Outside, and heading to Chopper who was munching on his breakfast next to a Sanji now tied up to several blood bags, Nami made her plans for Lunch. She smirked to herself.

~~~~~~Hi everyone! I already have the other chapters planned out...as you can probably guess, there will be a "Lunch, Dinner, and Dessert" chapter. Har Har. I know, I'm a dork. Depending on whether anyone reads this I'll post the others. *siiiigh...love the Mugiwara crew. So much love.


	2. Lunch

**~I do not own the wonderful Straw Hats or the One Piece universe; I'm only borrowing it from the Great Eiichiro Oda. **

**~_I also do not own the amazing image used for this story. It's created by the amazing IamAsami and called (very fitingly) "Look Into My Heart." Thank you, IamAsami for giving me permission to use it for my story! IT'S perfect!~~Without further ado, enjoy!_**

_Hi Everyone! Thank you so much for such a response! I'm so glad so many of you have reviewed, followed, and favorited this story in such a short period of time. It really has made my week ^_^. Because of that, here's another chapter for you. I hope you like it more or at least just as much as the first chapter. Things are starting to heat up-har har. Also, apologies to poor Sanji. LOL. We still have some more chapters to go, so please review and I'll keep writing :3. For those of you whose reviews I didn't respond to personally, thank you so so much for the reviews. Enjoy!_

_for reference:__**"sugoi"**__ is the phoentic for the japanese phrase what we all know Luffy says when he sees something he finds 'cool' or 'awesome' like a ridiculously huge fish, etc. I thought about just putting cool, but it doesn't have the same ring to it as when Luffy yells "SUGOIIIIIIIII" in the middle of the anime (especially when everyone else is usually terrified of the giant fish he finds so cool). LOL. Those moments are some of my favorites :D_

**Chapter II: Lunch**

It was early afternoon and the entirety of the Mugiwara crew was out on the lower deck in the grass enjoying the perfect summer climate they were in for the next island they were approaching on the Grand Line.

Enjoyment is relative of course, as Franky was on the roof of the kitchen and galley repairing the head shaped hole Sanji erupted out of earlier in the day because of the "bacon erotica incident," aka Nami's bizarre behavior, as Usopp was helping him hold fresh boards of wood down as he secured them.

"I never knew that bacon could cause a woman to have such a reaction." Usopp pondered as he helped Franky.

Franky nodded his agreement.

"Well, my Nico Robin is always telling me how much she loves my SUPPERR beefcake." Franky winked.

Usopp sweatdropped and muttered "hentai."

Franky looked up from his work nailing the roof.

"Did someone call me?"

Usopp sighed.

Robin, who was seated in the sun in a bathing suit with an umbrella providing shade for her face, was the closest to where Usopp and Franky were working on the roof; she giggled lightly as she overheard their conversation. With Sanji still very much out of commission, perhaps the most noticeable side-effect from the "breakfast-bacon-erotica" incident, Robin had made some iced tea for everyone, herself included.

Robin relaxed happily as she half-read in her chair and half-watched the rest of the crew enjoy the weather. She was, of course, paying particular attention to the Captain and the Navigator, who were, at present, on opposite ends of the deck . . .

Luffy and Brook both had large glasses of said iced-tea beside them as they sat at the railing with their feet dangling in-between the railing poles. They were attempting to fish, but mostly just pointing at the clouds that resembled people they knew and making fun of those people as a result.

"HAH! That cloud looks like Nami-san!" Brook pointed at an hour-glass-shaped cloud.

"SUGOIII! NAMI-CLOUD!" Luffy yelled and proceeded to scare away any fish that were anywhere near their fishing bait in the water.

Brook gestured politely to the cloud.

"Nami-cloud, could you perhaps show me your panties?" Luffy burst into his loud, signature laugh.

To Robin's eye, their Captain seemed to bear no side effects from the incident at breakfast, although, he was also the last to leave the kitchen table this morning too. She smiled as she thought of how well Luffy could hide his reaction, when to Robin's eyes, his was the most powerful out of the entire crew. Her smile grew as she turned to the other side of the deck to observe the rest of the crew, Nami in particular . . .

Zoro was lounging in a corner in the shade of the swing-tree against the railing on the grass of the lower deck and polishing his swords whilst sipping on some sake.

Not a few feet from him, Chopper had Sanji still hooked up to one more blood bag and some saline solution in the complete shade of the swing tree. Nami sat with them in the grass and helped Chopper keep Sanji cool.

Her motives were not entirely altruistic, of course. She had her own goals in mind.

From her position in her lounge chair, Robin had more than an inkling as to what Nami was plotting this time. She couldn't help but chuckle lightly to herself. She only hoped Luffy would still be able to maintain control. Because when he finally loses his cool . . .Robin bit her lip as she thought of the implications. She turned her head and caught Franky's eye up on the roof of the galley. Being the man he was, he was more than familiar with that face on his Robin-so he winked at her. For now, Robin returned to her book.

Meanwhile, Sanji, who was just waking up from his boobies-induced blood-loss coma, now found himself in heaven. The first thing his eyes met was Nami's face.

"Nami-sschhhwann." He mumbled quietly as he opened his eyes. He felt all the blood rush to his head again as his nostrils flared and he sniffed some 'real lady.'

"Nami! Give Sanji some space for a minute!" Chopper inserted his face between Nami and Sanji's line of sight to try to protect his patient. Nami leaned back and nodded in sudden understanding. Sanji whimpered at the loss of Nami's face from his line of sight.

"Let's rehabilitate him using some less powerful images. Go sit behind us." Nami followed Chopper's direction obediently and went to sit out of Sanji's line of sight behind his head. Chopper pulled out some flash cards and a mirror from his pocket. He put the mirror in the grass for now and sorted through the flash cards.

"Let's see. . .something easy to help staunch more bleeding. Yes! This one!" He mumbled with certainty as his little hooves chose a flash card out of the pile. He turned it and put it in front of Sanji's eyes.

It was a picture of Luffy picking his nose.

"THAT'S NOT A LADY!" Sanji yelled in annoyance from his prone position in the grass.

But, it had the desired effect that Chopper was looking for, as Sanji's face changed from pervs-r-us, which usually indicates another imminent nosebleed, to slight disgruntlement.

"Yes, Sanji! It's not; now, try to calm down and not obsess so much on the image of a lady with this next image." Chopper put the picture of Luffy back in the pile and put the next picture in front of Sanji's face.

It was a stick figure with big eyelashes and boobs (really, just strategically-albeit crappily-placed circles) on it.

"L-l-l-lady?" Sanji's face twitched a bit in an attempt to switch back to pervert mode.

"DEEP BREATHS SANJI! Nice deep breaths!" Chopper put a hoof on Sanji's shoulder consolingly and watched as Sanji was able to subdue his reaction.

"Good job, Sanji! OK, time to pick a harder image this time. . ." Chopper fumbled through the pile. "Where did I put that one?" He leaned over as he searched for it. "AH! This one! OK, Sanji, I want you to close your eyes for me first and take three nice deep breaths before I show you this one. When I say so, open your eyes."

Sanji did as he was told and closed his eyes and started some deep breaths. But, while Sanji was focusing on his inner peace, Chopper dropped the card. Meanwhile, a certain irritated swordsman had sauntered over from his seat nearby.

"YES!" Chopper yelled when he finally managed to pick the card back up. Unfortunately, Sanji mistook that for the signal to open his eyes.

However, to his surprise and dismay, Sanji was not greeted with the face of a female on a flashcard upon opening his eyes, but 360-degrees of Roronoa Zoro as he shoved his face in front of Sanji.

"Hey, shit-swirl-eyebrow. Did you actually train for these past two years? Or did you just bleed all over the place?"

"DEFINITELY NOT A LADY! FUCK-FACE MARIMO!" Sanji roared and attempted to kick Zoro in the head from his still prone position. Zoro twitched, itching to fight. Chopper turned into heavy-point and grabbed them both. The flashcards flew all over the deck.

"That's enough! Sanji is still recovering!" Chopper yelled.

From behind them, Nami, who had witnessed the entire performance, face-palmed repeatedly. Noticing that Chopper wasn't having much success in subduing either Zoro or Sanji, she irritatingly took matters into her own hands and punched Zoro and Sanji thoroughly over the head.

Chopper breathed a sigh of relief and switched back into brain point.

"Damn devil woman!" Zoro muttered as he rubbed the large bump on his head and went back to his seat and his sake, scowling at Nami and Sanji the whole way.

"Thanks, Nami! I'm going to go get some more saline solution. I'll be right back. Watch Sanji for me. O! But, try to talk to him using the mirror so he doesn't look at you." With that Chopper scurried toward his work space.

With his vision swimming once again for the time being because of his new bump, Sanji muttered from his still prone position in the grass.

"Nami-schwwannn!" Sanji cried pathetically. Picking up the mirror, Nami handed it to Sanji.

"Sanji-kun?" He moved to attempt to turn and look at her. She rolled her eyes and placed her palm over both of his eyes. She could feel him tremble with excitement. She winced for a second thinking he might erupt into the bleeds again.

"NAMI-SCHHWANN! Your perfectly graceful palm is over my eyes. Teeheehee." He giggled in glee.

"Sanji-kun?" She called again gently, amazed at her own patience.

"Hai, Nami-Schwann?" He seemed to be able to handle her palm on his face for now.

"Are you strong enough to hold up this mirror so you can see me behind you?" She held it out to him and positioned it just so he'd be able to see her from her neck up.

"Of course, Nami-Schwann, anything for such a scrumptious lady!" She rolled her eyes one more time and tried to restrain her desire to punch him again. She glanced at the sun's position in the sky. I don't have much time left! Seeing that it was getting closer and closer to when Sanji normally had lunch ready, she knew she had to hurry.

"OK. The mirror is right in front of you. Don't turn around, OK? I'm going to take my hand off of your eyes." He nodded in understanding and she slowly removed her hand. He reached for the mirror.

Once he had the mirror steady and in position, Nami could see herself and about ½ of Sanji's face in the mirror's image from her spot sitting behind his head. She saw the mirror start to fog up with all the heavy breathing Sanji was doing staring at her partial, indirect image. He started to tilt the mirror to get a view of her boobs. Her eyebrow twitched as she reached out to right the mirror and flick him in the back of the head.

"DON'T MOVE the mirror or I'll make Zoro come back over here and pull down his pants and-!" He interrupted her in a panic and immediately put the mirror back in its prior position.

"SORRY NAMI-SCWANN! PLEASE Don't make me look at anything but you right now, ESPECIALLY not dirty marimo-" She put her hand over Sanji's mouth this time as she glanced over at Zoro who was giving her one evil eye-with his one good eye. She turned back to her quarry.

"OK. Sanji-kun! Can you do me a favor?" Seeing that he was back to focusing on her, she removed her hand.

"Anything for you my beauty." He eyed her lovingly in the mirror.

"I want to help you by making lunch for everyone. Can you tell me the best way to barbeque that sea king meat?" Sanji's face lit up. His Nami-Schwann wanted to help him cook when he was ill!? He really had gone to heaven. He proceeded to explain everything in great detail. And Nami proceeded to make careful mental notes and ask questions-batting her eyes and blushing as much as possible for effect.

From her position in her lawn chair still mostly reading and not eavesdropping, Nico Robin's smile expanded as she overheard Nami; sea king meat is Luffy's favorite. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Not twenty minutes later, after Nami had finished pumping Sanji for details on cooking the sea king meat, and discovered that he had already prepared some cold side dishes for today's lunch last night, she had a small barbeque grill set up on the lawn of the lower deck and a sort of impromptu picnic spread out for everyone-complete with plates, sides and utensils. She was being very domestic, goddamnit!

Following Sanji's directions she had managed to marinate the meat in a sauce that she knew Luffy had often shown a preference for; something she had also managed to get out of Sanji by feigning interest in his cooking techniques.

Nami sighed in relief, she had just started to cook the meat and the aroma was beginning to fill the air. She knew Luffy would be quick to tune into it. Zoro had already cracked his eye open from his reclining position nearby and seemed to be very interested in what she was cooking himself.

Chopper had moved Sanji inside into one of the cool inner rooms so he could get him out of the hot afternoon sun. Chopper had been asking Nami before if she had been flirting with Sanji while he was inside getting saline solution. He was concerned because "Sanji's temperature had skyrocketed and he had his delirious expression on again."

Nami, of course claimed innocence that she was merely trying to do a nice thing for Sanji by making lunch so that he didn't have to worry about fulfilling his duties for a while so he could rest. The evil smirk she wore for a second indicated otherwise. But, no one had to know about that. She snickered.

She heard movement as the others came over to see what she had set up. The one person she was the most interested in was turning his head and sniffing the air from his former fishing position.

"SANNNJIII I'm HUNNNGRRY!"

Brook and Luffy both stood up while Franky and Usopp jumped down from the roof of the galley. Robin closed her book and also stood up. She went inside to bring out the rest of the iced tea she had made.

Nami turned the first batch of meat on the grill and some fat dripped down causing the flames to flare up. The scent of the cooking sea king meat was now overpowering. From the corner of her eye, she could see Luffy drooling as he made his way over. She had a feeling the glare from the sun was in his eyes so he couldn't exactly tell that she was the one manning the low grill in the deep shade under the swing tree.

"SANNNJJJIIII! WHAT ARE YOU COOKKKING?! SANNNNJJJIIIIII FOOOOODD!" He stumbled over.

"Ehhhh! That smells so good!" Usopp acknowledged as he sat down on the picnic blanket. Franky rubbed his hands together and nodded his head in agreement.

"SANNNNJJJIIII! SANJIIIIII!" Luffy was finally approaching the shade line of the tree. Robin arrived and poured some more iced tea for everyone.

"SANNJJ-ehhh-Nami?" Luffy was now officially under the shade of the tree and could plainly see that it was not in fact Sanji creating such wonderful meat smells, but Nami. He stood frozen in place and stared at her cooking the meat and drooling.

"Nami? Do you need any help preparing anything else?" Robin asked at Nami's elbow.

Nami couldn't help but puff up her chest a bit at feeling so organized to have prepared a meal for her nakama, her Captain especially; she understood a little now why Sanji took such great pleasure in the act.

"Actually, you could go tell Chopper that the food is ready and see if Sanji is well enough to eat something? Thank you, Robin!" Nami smiled at her and Robin smiled back as she did as she was asked.

Zoro stood up from his seat against the railing, collected his sake, dusted himself off, and also took his own place on the picnic blanket.

"It really does smell SUPPERRR amazing, Nami-san!" Franky proclaimed.

Nami blushed a little while Robin returned with Chopper whose little blue nose was dancing in the air as he walked toward the picnic.

"WOW, Nami! You made all this?" Chopper said enthusiastically.

"Not bad, devil woman." Zoro gave her his half-smile

"I cannot wait to eat it Nami-san!" Brook agreed.

Nami was more than a little overwhelmed at all the praise. But, she still had yet to have a much of a reaction from Luffy; he was the one she orchestrated this master plan for anyway.

Luffy still stood there frozen and drooling as he watched Nami cook. Nami grumbled quietly to herself and drizzled more sauce over the meat like she was a seasoned pro. The smoke and aromas from the cooking meat wafted into her face and hair.

"Chopper? Should I make a plate for Sanji?" Nami asked over the heat of the grill. Everyone else had already arranged themselves on the picnic blanket in a semi-circle around the grill and had dished out the cold sides onto each of their plates.

"Sanji's sleeping right now, Nami. I can bring him a plate of your food a little later when he wakes up." Chopper answered with a smile.

Nami smiled dangerously. Good! I'd feel even more guilty if Sanji was still out here. It was bad enough that the poor fool thought she was flirting with him and genuinely interested in cooking. Well, she was interested in cooking, but only as far as she wanted to use it to get Luffy's attention. Speaking of Luffy, Nami looked up from her masterpiece on the grill and eyed her nakama.

For once, they all seemed to be waiting patiently for the chef to finish cooking before eating. Zoro grabbed the plate from the vacant space next to him and dished out a large serving of each of the side dishes.

"Luffy?! What the hell are you doing? Sit down." Zoro muttered as he dished out food for his senchou. Luffy finally snapped out of his daze and took the spot Zoro had gestured to between him and Robin. His spot was exactly opposite Nami while she was cooking, so he sat facing her.

Luffy took the plate Zoro had started to prepare for him and instead of digging into what was there with gusto like he usually did, he waited patiently like the others.

Nami just about dropped the meat tongs when she noticed Luffy's behavior. What the hell is he doing?! Is it not good enough for him!? Although . . .the side dishes do contain a lot of vegetables. . .

Finishing up the sizable sea king steaks, Nami asked for everyone's plates.

Starting with Usopp, who sat on her left side she dished out portions. She made sure to put the biggest and nicest cut of meat on Luffy's plate. Unfortunately, Nami was too busy serving Luffy's plate to notice when his eyes popped out of his head and he gulped when she dropped the steak on his plate. Robin and Franky didn't miss a thing. Even Zoro caught it out of his peripherals.

After she served everyone else, she turned off the grill. Robin came walking over with another plate packed with some of the side dishes.

"Here you are, Nami." Nami took the plate Robin had prepared for her and dropped the last piece of sea king meat onto it with a juicy plop.

"Thanks, Robin." Nami stretched her back and got ready to eat in front of the cooking station.

Robin cocked her head.

"Nami, there's plenty of room next to me." Robin shifted and made room between her and Luffy. Nami stood up and made her way over hoping that the heat from the grill would excuse her blush. Robin eyed her with a knowing smile the whole way, however. I knew she would be meddling sooner or later! Nami grumbled to herself.

As Nami squeezed in between Luffy and Robin, everyone else started to dig in. Luffy shifted slightly.

"This is sooooo good, Nami!" Usopp proclaimed. Everyone else moaned in agreement while they chewed.

Nami turned her head slightly to her left to eye Luffy. He had yet to take a single bite from his plate. His signature straw hat sat low over his face, hiding his eyes. He merely sat there, unmoving, holding his plate as though he were a statue. Nami frowned and took a small bite of her own serving.

"Ehh! It is good!" She muttered proud of herself. She saw several other nods of agreement from around the circle of her nakama.

After she had swallowed her first bite. She almost jumped when saw Luffy pick up his fork-his hands were shaking. IS he angry?! You've gotta be kidding me!

He sliced through the very tender meat agonizingly slowly, cutting a large chunk off of his sizable steak. He stabbed the bite with fierceness that almost made Nami jump again. He froze again with the piece of sea king meat skewered on his fork and as its juices dripped slowly onto his plate.

"Nami." His voice was low and raspy. She blinked at him and blushed. Her heart felt like someone had pulled a string taut right through it.

The silence hung for a moment and she wasn't sure if he would say anything else. It grew around the semicircle of the Straw-Hat Crew until everyone was watching their exchange.

"Thank you." He broke the silence and Nami felt her heart swell to the brim.

She watched as he slowly brought the piece of sea king meat on his fork to his mouth. He opened his lips slowly; the meat making contact with his lower lip first as he slid it inside. A drop of the flavor-rich juice dripped down his lip as he took a bite and chewed slowly, more slowly than anyone had ever seen Luffy chew before. Once he swallowed, his long tongue came out and he slowly licked his bottom lip to capture the drop.

Nami felt rolling fire moving across her senses-down her spine, up her arms, to her ears, to her toes, and collect low in her belly. She was sure that her face must be crimson now.

She trained her eyes back on her plate-unsure that she was capable of continuing to watch Luffy eat without imploding into a pile of goo onto the picnic blanket. There's no way he knew what he was doing there right?

"Oi, Nami, I think he likes it." Franky said quietly from the other side of Robin. He smirked at her. Robin giggled and from the other side of Luffy, Zoro wore a grin. Nami was about as red as a lobster at this point.

Usopp, Chopper, and Brook shrugged, oblivious, and went back to their conversation about Usopp defeating a man-eating hamster.

Luffy continued to eat at his slow pace and everyone else went back their food, Nami included. She didn't dare look in Luffy's direction again until he finished eating. After a few minutes, Nami joined into the conversation with the others, asking pointed questions about this man-eating-hamster.

Despite how slowly he was eating, Luffy still managed to finish eating first-probably because he wasn't participating in any of the conversations going on. His plate thoroughly clean, he stood up, his hat still low on his head.

"Senchou-san? Are you alright?" Robin asked with concern as everyone stopped their conversations for the moment.

Nami flinched and turned her head to look at him. He was standing facing her, not a foot from her. It would be so easy to reach out and touch him. Her blush was back when she saw how he was staring at her with the same intensity from this morning.

He broke the stare as he started to turn away, but as he was turning, he removed his straw hat from his head and placed it gently onto Nami's head. She trembled at the brief contact from his hand through the hat.

"I'll be in the bath." He announced as he walked away slowly and up to the bathhouse. She was momentarily dumbfounded by his behavior and literally wrought speechless.

Zoro chuckled to her left in the now vacant spot Luffy once occupied.

"I bet it'll be a cold bath. . ." he snickered. Robin and Franky both chuckled.

Nami, unable to process much of anything right now completely missed Zoro's reference. He said thank you, and gave me his hat, but he didn't want my leftovers, and he ate it so slowly. Does that mean he liked it or he hated it?

Clearly incapable of any logical or rational thought anymore, Nami started to clean up with everyone else's help.

Upstairs in the bathhouse, Luffy had stripped down and was breathing heavily as he turned on the cold water. His skin was on fire and he was trembling with need. His hyper-aware senses (especially now that he was an apt user of all three kinds of Haki) were flooded with stimulus.

He had managed to remove himself from the most powerful one, Nami herself, but the overwhelming smell of the rich aroma of sea king meat was intermingled and burned into his nostrils with Nami's own sweet scent. She downright reeked of the meat as she had been standing in its smoke while she was cooking.

That alone would have normally been enough to send Luffy over the edge. But, that coupled with his usual magnetic attraction to her and, most importantly, the fact that she had cooked for him and Luffy would need a few hours to find release and right himself.

He decided on thing, however, he was not holding back anymore come dinnertime.

_~~~~So what did you think? Review please ~HUGS, ClumsyPink_


	3. Dinner

**~I do not own the wonderful Straw Hats or the One Piece universe; I'm only borrowing it from the Great Eiichiro Oda. **

**~_I also do not own the amazing image used for this story. It's created by the amazing IamAsami and called (very fitingly) "Look Into My Heart." Thank you, IamAsami for giving me permission to use it for my story! IT'S perfect!~~Without further ado, enjoy!_**

**~Hi guys! Sorry this one took longer, but here it is. Only 2 chapters left. Enjoy! Once again, I am in love with all the reviews, follows, and favorites for this story. I took many of your thoughts into account while writing this. Hope you like -ClumsyPink**

**Chapter III Dinner**

Nami was at her wit's end.

After the morning epiphany she had, realizing her feelings for her senchou, coupled with the maniacal stress of plotting to get his attention at breakfast and lunch, these moments of duress were now even further exacerbated by his recent behavior:

Luffy had basically been ignoring her since lunch. And to Nami's eyes, it had made no sense. None. Whatsoever.

First, he went off to the bath house before the rest of the crew had even finished eating lunch; then, he was in there for nearly three hours. _I mean he has short hair and he's made of rubber. How freaking long can one person bathe?! _

Nami fiddled around on the main deck for nearly ninety minutes after Luffy had gone to bathe by taking extra care in cleaning the spot where the crew had had their picnic; she then started to feel silly and decided waiting around on the main deck like a lost puppy was not becoming. She pouted. _What the hell is he doing?!_ He had given her his hat and she had kept it on since he left; _but why has he been gone so long?_!

She even thought about asking Chopper if she could take Sanji the rest of his food; deciding that leading Sanji on even further would just be downright cruel, she set to staring dejectedly at the sea and leaning on the railing. _I'll show Luffy._

When Luffy finally came out of the bathhouse, he acted like everything was normal and greeted everyone except her-although in fairness-she was still pretending to not be talking to him at that point by continuing to stare dejectedly at the sea, but he still should have said something, damn it!

After that, he then went to sit under the Lion's head at the front of the Sunny. He'd been there ever since-brooding (to Nami's eyes at least)-not showering her with praise over her cooking skills, or complimenting her on her beautiful body, or carrying her off to her bedroom to proclaim his undying love for her.

Excessively-shoujo-Luffy poofed from her mind when an image of realist-Zoro appeared instead and reminded her that "you know, your imagination-version-Luffy sounds a lot more like that cow-eyed shit cook . . ."

Nami mentally punched the daylights out of the Zoro that appeared in her head. _What the hell is he doing in my daydreams anyway!?_ You know you are close with your nakama if they start showing up unbidden in your mind.

Nami had huffed and turned around from her 'I'm still ignoring you, Luffy' position leaning on the side-railing and looking down at the sea. She clutched at Luffy's hat as it still rested on her head. She couldn't help but turn her eyes longingly for a moment toward Luffy's shoulders and back that she could make out beneath the Lion.

_Imaginary Zoro does have a point_. Her eyebrow twitched at her realization. _Luffy just wouldn't do any of those things. . .maybe he doesn't want to return my attention? Maybe my plan backfired._

And, thus, these events are what conspired against Nami and caused her to now be making her way up the stairs to Robin, who was currently in the Library.

...

While Nami was doing war with her inner misgivings over Luffy's behavior, Usopp, Franky, and Brook had taken to playing cards on the grass of the main deck in the now very clean area that once held their barbeque only an hour or so before.

Chopper was joining them as well, but left mid-way into their game with threats against anyone who looked at his cards, to check on Sanji and give him his lunch-leftovers. Chopper still wasn't back when Nami left her position looking over the railing and headed up toward the library.

Usopp raised his eyebrows and eyed Nami's back for a minute as she made her way inside.

"Guys, what is going on with Nami?" He said as he re-arranged the cards in his hands. Franky looked up from his own hand for a minute but said nothing.

"Perhaps she didn't get enough calcium today? YOHOHO!" Brook chuckled as he discarded into the pile. They had been skipping over Chopper's turn the last few rounds.

Usopp rolled his eyes at Brook.

"I mean, hasn't she been acting strange ever since this morning? She made us all lunch and didn't up our debt-not even Zoro's." Usopp continued as he eyed Franky and Brook.

Brook looked quickly between the two like he had missed something.

"Luffy-san did give Nami-san his hat at lunch today." Brook said with a long boney finger extended to his chin.

Franky sighed.

"I'm pretty sure that Nami has some SUPPPER feelings for our Senchou." Franky said as he drew a card and laid down three jacks.

"FRANKY-SAN! YOU HAD THEM ALL. I was holding the Jack of spades for naught. I'd cry, but I don't have tears anymore YOHOHO-wait! Nami-san has feelings for Luffy-san?!"

Finishing his turn, Franky discarded. Brook started humming something like he was suddenly excited. Usopp looked lost.

"What do you mean feelings, Franky?" Usopp asked. Franky raised his eyebrows at Usopp in question like he was looking at a screw that didn't know it was a screw.

"Oh. OH! Feelings?!" Usopp said in a loud whisper, looking over his shoulder like he was suddenly aware Luffy might hear them.

...

From his position beneath the Lion's head of the Sunny Go, Luffy heard the conversations of his Nakama and because of his intense Haki abilities, he also felt all of their emotional states. But, on this particular occasion, he found himself the most attuned to Nami's-a fact which concerned him.

He had never had difficulty subduing a reaction to her over the years-because she had never shown any interest. But, seeing desire for him reciprocated in her eyes today and in the eruption of tingling feelings he had felt radiating over her during breakfast and lunch today, had thrown open the floodgates in his heart. He was on fire and like all things that Luffy felt strongly, once that his emotional fire began-he was downright unstoppable.

So, contrary to Nami's assessment, he was not exactly brooding and contrary to how he often appeared-Luffy was not an idiot; he just chose not to be bothered thinking hard about things that aren't really problems. But, now, he definitely had a problem.

So, he sat and he stared at the sea before him and he thought and tried to rein himself under control.

He thought of what Ace would tell him to do if he were still around. He thought hard of his own certainty when he entered the bathhouse hours before that the solution was simple: that he'd march right up to Nami and crush his lips against hers.

He even gave her his hat so it would force him to seek her out later in the evening.

But, after he was able to clear his head from the steam of arousal, Luffy withdrew his previous idea. It was not so simple.

He was absolutely certain of his own feelings for Nami and had been for years. He also knew now, with near perfect certainty, that Nami reciprocated his attraction; how deep her feelings went he wasn't sure and the frustration and discomfort he felt pulsing off her when he came out back onto the deck was certainly discouraging.

It made his breath catch and fall in his lungs like he was suffocating when he thought of her rejection. He found himself dwelling on the varied responses she might have.

The time spent thinking about her and her feelings were evidence enough that Luffy's concerns were well-founded. She was affecting him more than anyone ever had.

Luffy loved all of his nakama. But he was madly in-love with Nami, who might not fully return his feelings.

He knew as a captain and because of his intense feelings he could not risk the damage that a failed relationship with Nami might have on the rest of his nakama. He could not be with her if it meant risking his crew. In those conditions, he would have to stop being captain to be with her. Above all else, Luffy would not give up being Pirate King.

Unable to reach any further conclusions on his own, Luffy decided two things as he overheard Usopp, Franky, and Brook discuss Nami's feelings for him as they played cards on the deck: to find out if the crew would be OK with him pursuing Nami, he should just ask; and second, what better way to discover how deep Nami's feelings went than to put pressure on her?

With his mind now set, Luffy stood up.

"YOSH!" he put his fist into the palm of his other hand like he was about to enter a fight as he jumped down onto the main deck.

Usopp, Brook, Franky, and Chopper who had just sat back down to re-join the card game turned to look at their captain.

Luffy smiled his cheeseball grin at them.

"Made your mind up, Luffy?" Franky called to him. Luffy's eyes got big for a second in surprise and his smile shifted into something more devious and silly.

"YUP." With that he stretched his arm up to the crow's nest. As his body followed the length of his arm, his arm snapped back to its normal length, and he landed in front of the door to the crow's nest.

"Oi. Luffy." Usopp yelled with confidence like he was an old pro at handling relationships. Luffy half-turned with his hand still on the door to the crow's nest.

"None of us will mind, you know." Usopp said with a equally large grin. Luffy smiled even more deviously as he turned to make his way into the crow's nest.

Over his shoulder, he thought he heard Brook say that "love made for the best songs."

Once Luffy was inside the crow's nest, Franky shook his head and smirked at Usopp.

"What? The great Don Juan-Usopp knows the meaning of love." Usopp said as he drew from the pile.

"I still can't believe that Nami and Luffy have feelings for each other!" Chopper exclaimed with stars in his eyes.

"Brook! Do you think that means we will have more crew members to play with soon!?"

Franky face-palmed.

"Oi! Things are still SUPER tenuous between them. We need to do what we can to let it happen naturally." Usopp narrowed his eyes.

"You mean like you and Robin?" Usopp spoke out of the side of his mouth.

"EH! That was an accident! I didn't know she was using the shower!" Franky waved his robot arm around and then his mini-hand came out and waved around in placating motions too.

"Hentai." Usopp said drily.

"You just slipped her the bone, YOHOHO!" Brook added crudely.

"Hentai." Usopp repeated.

"I WIN!" While the others were bickering, Chopper had just discarded all four aces and all four kings.

Everyone groaned as they started to tally up the score.

...

Below deck, Sanji was feeling downright rejuvenated from his rest and, more importantly, from the positively beauteous lunch that Nami had prepared. It was not as good as it would have been if he had prepared it, of course, but Nami's blossoming skills as a cook only made her all the more beautiful in his eyes.

Stretching as he got up from the bed in the infirmary, Sanji thought about what he should prepare for dinner that would best express how much he enjoyed what Nami had done.

_My lovely Nami-schwan did show particular interest in meat this morning? Perhaps I should bring out that special filet I have stored away!?_

His mind made up, Sanji fluttered up the stairs toward the kitchen with hearts in his eyes.

...

Usopp looked up from his dismal score for their now finished game as Sanji erupted from the lower quarters and noodled by singing "Melllllllorrrrinnne" on his way into the kitchen.

"Are we really sure that Sanji can handle Luffy and Nami together?" Usopp said with concern.

"O no! He did just get better! What if he goes into a fit again! We'll need a doctor!" Chopper exclaimed.

Brook turned to look at Chopper with the scariest expression he could muster and whispered: "You are a doctor Chopper-san." Chopper shrieked in surprise.

"That's right! I AM!" Chopper trembled and calmed down.

"Well, he hasn't had any problems with Robin and I being together."

"Does he even know?" Usopp deadpanned.

"As long as neither of them does anything SUPER obvious, I think it will be fine." Franky concluded.

"He doesn't know does he." Usopp continued with a straight face.

"I would let Sanji-san borrow my eyes so he could see more clearly, but I don't have eyes anymore! YOHOHO."

...

"Robin?" Nami said shyly.

She had been standing there for a minute waiting for Robin to turn around-hoping that Robin had heard her come in to make this less awkward; but, the damn woman had just stood there still engrossed in whatever she was reading this time.

"Nami-san! Sorry I must not have heard you come in. Is everything alright?" Robin's concern sounded in her voice, but her eyes glittered with mirth.

_Damn her and her awareness._

"Um. It's just that. . .I was wondering. . ." Nami thrust her hands in her pockets like she had stage-fright.

"Yes?" _Was this crazy lady actually going to make her come out and say it?!_

"I. . .um . . .am worried about . . .Luffy." There. I said it.

"What do you mean, what has you so concerned?" She was smirking at her; Robin was actually smirking. Nami clenched her jaw in frustration.

"I'mworriedthatLuffymightnotfeelthesamewayIdoabout himandthatImighthavepushedhimaway."

Somehow, perhaps because of her penchant for languages, even those long dead, Robin was able to decode the high-speed gibberish that Nami vomited out of her mouth.

Robin chuckled for a minute and Nami couldn't hide her shock.

"What's so funny?" Nami asked as her irritation mounted.

"I'm sorry, Nami-san. I don't mean to laugh at you. I just find it so endearing." Robin paused to look at her.

"I sincerely do not think you have anything to worry about, Nami-san." Robin said as the smile on her face grew.

"Wha-really?" Nami stared back, stunned.

"How? Why?" She muttered and Robin reached out and took Nami's hand and led her over to one of the sofas.

Once they were seated, Robin resumed her staring-which included some pointed looks at the straw hat that still rested on Nami's head.

"What do you mean, I have nothing to worry about? How can you be so sure?" Nami eyed her.

"I think you must have missed how obvious our captain is, Nami-san." Nami blanched.

"Obvious?" Robin nodded.

"I think you are looking too closely for a deep and meaningful reaction from him that you are missing the bigger gestures." Robin's eyes were positively glittering.

"Like. . .?"

"For example, although our Senchou-san did not have a nosebleed this morning, did you notice that his hands remained clenched on his knees both during and for a while after your interaction with the bacon?" Nami flinched.

"That wasn't anger?"

Robin chuckled again.

"Unless our Senchou's anger manifests itself in the form of arousal." Nami felt her face color up like an overdone lobster.

Robin continued.

"Did you also notice that during lunch today, our Senchou who never waits to eat for anyone's sake, waited for you to take a bite first before he began to eat?" Nami's jaw dropped.

"He was waiting to eat for me? Not because he disliked it?" She couldn't believe it.

Robin leaned forward and put her arm over the back of the couch beside Nami and rested her chin in her palm.

"Finally, did you notice, that our Senchou was trembling with restraint at lunch today over not touching you? I think he left for the bath because he could no longer hold back and was afraid he might do something in front of the crew." Robin looked positively intense as she described her theory.

Nami could feel a shiver run down her body as things clicked into place. _It's just like when Luffy observes a dangerous situation. He seems quiet and withdrawn, but really, he is listening better than anyone and is just waiting for the perfect time to . . ._

Nami gulped.

"But, I could be exaggerating, Nami-san. Why don't you just let things happen more naturally at dinner time? I'm sure Luffy-san will not disappoint you." Robin said that last line with a hint of sensuality that made Nami blush further if that were possibly.

She swallowed.

"Thank you, Robin." She reached out to squeeze Robin's hand.

"Anytime."

As Nami closed the door behind her, Robin couldn't help but smile at the blossoming connection between her two nakama. Franky and Robin had been joking for ages about when Luffy and Nami would finally fall into bed together. She put away her book a few moments later and made her way downstairs; she didn't want to miss dinner, after all.

...

"Zoro," no answer.

"ZORO," some rustling followed by light snoring.

"OI! ZORO!" Luffy bent backwards as Zoro's right arm shot up to grab for the collar of the person who had so rudely awoken him from his nap in the crow's nest. Luffy laughed hysterically.

"EH! Luffy?" Zoro stood up as he rubbed sleep from his eye, yawned loudly, repositioned his coat and swords and briefly scratched his ass.

Luffy decided that after his very brief confirmation that things would be fine from several of his nakama on the main deck, the best person to ask about the two things he needed information on was his very blunt and trustworthy first mate, Zoro.

"What do you think about me being with Nami?" Zoro's eyes widened at the blunt question. Luffy always came right out with things.

After Zoro's brain finished turning back on from his afternoon nap, his surprise diminished and was replaced by a knowing smirk and a look of happiness.

"You've liked the devil woman for years." Luffy smiled. He wasn't exactly surprised that Zoro, the most perceptive of the crew, had picked up on his true feelings.

"As long as she doesn't treat you bad, I don't think anyone will mind. But, I guess you're worried about how it will affect the crew?" Luffy nodded.

Zoro looked down at Wado and lightly touched the grip on his most precious sword.

"You're the captain. It's your choice. But I know that no matter what happens, it would never change how you treat us. If things go south between you and she can't handle that, then she was never part of this crew." Luffy flinched as that thought crossed his mind. Zoro studied him for a minute. _Scratch that, Luffy, you don't just like her. You love her._

"But, we've both known her the longest. I don't think Nami would ever do that. At the worst, she'd probably just make me pay her back for you until I'm dead-because she knows you never will." They both laughed. _I know she loves you back._

"Thanks, Zoro." He nodded.

Luffy stayed where he was and Zoro knew he had something else to ask. Zoro smirked when he realized what Luffy must be wondering about now. His smile widened like he was about to unveil a new three-sword technique.

"Heh. If it were me, Luffy. I'd pay her back for what she did to you at breakfast and lunch today."

"Eh?" Luffy scratched his unkempt (and bereft-of-straw-hat) black hair.

"It's just like a fight. Get in her face and use Haki. Just . . be gentle. Or ero-shithead cook will be all over you." Luffy cocked his head to the side as he processed Zoro's suggestion.

"OK!" He laughed and took off through the crow's nest door as Zoro sighed and followed more slowly and calmly behind.

_I hope that doesn't backfire_. . .

...

With the entire crew back on the main deck and hovering near the kitchen waiting to be called in for dinner, Nami didn't feel so strange being around normal around Luffy again.

When he emerged from the crow's nest, with Zoro not far behind he skipped over to the rest of the crew, minus Sanji who was cooking, as they relaxed in the grass on the main deck, she even smiled shyly at him. He smiled back with his normal oversized grin and flopped onto the grass in between Chopper and Usopp.

Chopper was still gloating about having won some card game that most of the boys were playing when Nami went looking for Robin.

"I still don't understand how you ended up with ALL the kings and ALL the Aces!" Usopp moaned.

"Are you a card-shark Chopper-san?" Brook asked.

"I'm not a shark! I'm a reindeer!" Chopper stomped his hoof on the ground in indignation.

Nami giggled happily. She thought she caught Luffy perk up at her laughter near her like he sensed it bubbling inside her.

"Ne. Chopper. Calling someone a card-shark is like saying they are really good at cards." Nami said as touched Chopper's fur.

"Oh! Well. Shutup then, jerks. That doesn't make me feel good at all!" Chopper said as he blushed furiously from the compliment.

Zoro who was lounging nearby chuckled at Chopper. Robin finally came and joined them on the grass too. She took a seat next to Franky and rather surprisingly gave him a peck on the cheek.

Franky lit up like a schoolboy who just got his first kiss.

The rest of the group smiled at the gesture.

"Robin-san, is it really true that Sanji-san hasn't figured out that you and Franky-san are an item?" Brook asked as he gazed at the couple.

Robin erupted into laughter. Franky sighed.

"Oi! Are you kidding me? Vortex eyebrow hasn't figured out that you guys are together!?" Zoro said as he sat up.

Luffy just looked back and forth like he was watching a tennis match he didn't quite understand.

"Eh? How can he not know. I mean, you guys share a room now!" Nami said as she pointed at them.

Robin's laughter finally died down enough for her to speak.

"Well, we try hard not to make it too obvious in front of him, just in case he doesn't take it well." Robin said with mirth.

"Yea, but we have to tell him sooner or later, sugar-muffin. Otherwise he might be SUPER angry if he finds out we were hiding it from him." Franky acknowledged.

"Sugar-muffin? Really?" Usopp squinted at Franky.

"What did shit-ball-ero-cook train for those two years we were apart anyway!?" Zoro rolled his eyes. Luffy looked like he had reached an important conclusion from the conversation.

Then, as if on cue, Sanji stuck his head out of the kitchen door and announced that "dinner was ready."

...

Everyone stood up and started to head into the kitchen. Nami lingered back for a second to check the course really quickly. She hadn't noticed that Luffy hung back too.

She was walking by the other doors into the lower decks toward the kitchen when she felt her body get pushed and grabbed. She was slammed, though not too roughly, against the wall of the ship, only a few feet from the kitchen door.

Luffy's arms were on either side of her shoulders like a cage, pinning her. She could feel the heat radiating off his exposed chest that was less than an inch from touching hers as his shirt blew unbuttoned in the wind.

They didn't hear the sounds of Sanji approaching the kitchen door.

"NAMI-SCHWWAN where are you my beauty?! It's dinnertime!" He called from within the kitchen as he approached the door.

Nami and Luffy also didn't hear the commotion that Chopper made inside to prevent Sanji from going outside and possibly stumbling onto Nami and Luffy alone together.

Chopper had thrown all the flashcards in his pockets up in the air to distract Sanji.

"Chopper! Why are you throwing cards all over my beautiful meal and table!? LOOK AT ALL THESE IMAGES OF LADIES! MELLLORINE!" With Sanji now thoroughly distracted by various abstract and not so abstract images of females on flashcards, everyone in the kitchen calmed down.

Meanwhile. . .back outside on the deck . . .

Luffy's eyes bored into hers and she felt her pulse quicken. She saw a sea of emotion in his eyes, deeper and more meaningful than any look she had ever seen in her life. It was full of a fierceness that almost scared her if he weren't the object of her love.

He leaned closer and his exposed chest just barely brushed her still clothed breasts in her bathing suit top. She couldn't help her sharp intake of breath at the contact. His lips were less than an inch from hers now.

She saw how soft they looked-their faint pink hue. They were pouty and very kissable. His tongue came out and licked his bottom lip like he knew she was watching.

He leaned in again and. . . took his straw hat off her head and placed it back on his own. He turned away and walked into the kitchen.

"SANJIIIIIIIIIII MEAT!" Nami was frozen in place in shock and irritation. She had to take several deep breaths and try to remember what Robin had explained to her. _He definitely just gave me a strong sign just now, right?_ _He's not just toying with my feelings, right? _With that thought, she followed Luffy into the kitchen.

...

Surprisingly, to everyone else, the meal proceeded largely as normal: no strange behavior from Nami or Luffy.

Luffy was snatching food from everyone's plate and Nami was reprimanding him when he did so. The crew settled into normal conversation and was carrying on like any other night.

The only things that announced any sort of difference was the fact that Nami had one of the bigger and nicer cuts of meat of the really amazing Filet's that Sanji had prepared, Luffy had not bitched once about why she did, and Nami had again decided of her own volition to sit next to him, the rubber-human-food-vacuum.

When the meal was drawing to a close, and Nami still had a sizeable piece of filet left on her plate, she felt her mood drop again. Not once did he do anything to give me a sign and I was watching for the obvious things this time like Robin told me to. She sighed.

Well, this meat will go to waste anyway.

"Luffy." Everyone looked up expectantly. They were all waiting for when the blossoming couple would finally express their feelings in some way. Sanji, poor Sanji, just looked lost.

With her pointer finger and thumb, Nami picked up the best over-sized bite of filet that she had on her plate, making sure to get it drenched in the juices. She paused as she blushed, eyeing everyone.

Down the table from her, realizing what was about to take place, Usopp looked frantically at Sanji and Franky who winced.

"What is it Na-" Just as Luffy had his mouth open and was about to finish his sentence, Nami inserted the piece of filet mignon into his open mouth. Just the tips of her fingers grazed his lips at the act.

Color shot up his face like blood from the steak. Down the table, Usopp erupted into a coughing and flailing fit in front of Sanji to distract him. Zoro smirked at the scene between Luffy and Nami. _Just like battle and no one beats Luffy in a fight._

"O, my heart!" Usopp pulled an old ketchup star he still used for gags out of his pocket and collapsed on Sanji's plate.

"OI! You shitty sniper! Get the the hell off my table!"

"O NO! Usopp!" Chopper tried his best to sound concerned. The entire table seemed to be in on distracting Sanji-except for the captain and the navigator.

"Did your horrible food poison him, shit cook?" Zoro joined in with gusto. Sanji kicked Zoro's chair out from under him.

While everyone flailed around Usopp's and, now Zoro's, distraction and Sanji to keep him distracted, they also half watched with anxious eyes what was transpiring between Luffy and Nami. With a frustrated grumble, Sanji announced that we was going to change shirts to get the ketchup off of his current one. He left the kitchen.

As soon as the door shut behind Sanji, everyone turned-even Usopp who now had mashed potato and meat juice on his nose and face. They all watched with baited breath.

Back at the other end, Nami started to pull her hand back from Luffy's mouth. Before she could do so, Luffy's had shot up with near gear-second speed and firmly-but not painfully-grabbed her wrist and held her hand in place.

He pushed her hand back toward his mouth and with a burning and unblinking gaze guided each one of her fingers into his mouth as he sucked them and licked them visibly with his tongue.

Nami could feel herself melting into a pool of goo.

Without breaking his gaze with Nami, whose body had exploded into goosebumps and need, Luffy spoke.

"Where's Sanji?"

"He left to change shirts. Why are you being so obvious in front of him, Luffy?" Nami was broken briefly out of her reverie. _Does everyone know?_

"He needs to know what I want." Nami's eyes whipped back to Luffy; his hand still held her wrist, though less firmly. His gaze was downright molten as he started at her with desire.

Nami blushed and with everyone staring at her, she felt embarrassed. She wasn't ready for her sex life-or rather potential sex life-to be on display like this. Right now, it just seemed like Luffy wanted to take her clothes off, which was a nice thought, but after all her fantasizing about tying him to the mast, when push came to shove and he seemed to be about to tie _her_ to the mast, Nami felt uncomfortable and hurt.

"I'm going to go get some air." She pulled her hand from his grasp and he let her and she all but ran out of the kitchen. Once outside, she headed for the Lion's head. When the cool air of the night hit her face, she felt tears run down her cheeks.

She passed Sanji on her way toward the Lion.

"Nami-schwan? What's wrong?" Sanji called out to her. Luffy, followed quickly by the rest of the crew, emerged from the kitchen. Luffy had a stricken look on his face.

The pieces fell into place for Sanji and his face contorted in rage. He thought he had seen Luffy flirting so grotesquely with Nami at the other end of the table. It doesn't matter what happened, all that managed to Sanji was that it upset Nami.

"YOU SHIT CAPTAIN! WHAT DID YOU DO TO NAMI-SCHWAN!" Sanji grabbed Luffy's collar. The rest of the crew looked on.

"Uh-oh. . ." Usopp mumbled as he rubbed the potato off his nose.

~~~~The plot thickens! Please review! Only 2 chapters left. Don't worry, I'm not a jerk. I'm a total LuNa shipper. . .just be patient.


	4. Dessert

**The usual disclaimers: **

**I do not own the wonderful Straw Hats or the One Piece universe; I'm only borrowing it from the Great Eiichiro Oda.**

**_I also do not own the amazing image used for this story. It's created by the amazing IamAsami and called (very fitingly) "Look Into My Heart." Thank you, IamAsami for giving me permission to use it for my story! IT'S perfect!~_**

Another Chapter Folks! :D Only one more left. ^_^. Also, some of your reviews had me laughing so hard LOL (FlightWulf). Some others were irritated it took me so long to post. Sadly, (or not so sadly) I do have a full-time job with lots of overtime and a life. I do love writing, buttttt I don't always have time for it. So, sorry! (Not to mention, I think I've been posting pretty quickly... especially when some other writers go on hiatus for years or months between chapters '-_-. Anyway, I digress! Enjoy the chapter :D

**Chapter IV Dessert**

Nami felt like such a fool and so out of control. She hated it. It wasn't normal for her emotions to run away with her like this.

It was all because of him. She had been turned into a blushing teenager at his attention on the one hand, and on the other hand, his attention had turned her entire goal and plan on its head.

Didn't she get exactly what she wanted from him: his undivided attention? Didn't she want him to finally notice how hot she was for him, how much she wanted him? Didn't she want him to ravish her?

She had been so sure of everything earlier in the day when she formulated her various plots. But, something happened that she was unprepared for.

On some level, Nami thought that Luffy would be too oblivious to pick up on things right away. She thought, deep down, that she would have a few weeks, maybe even months of slowly easing the idea into his head that she wanted him. Of course, by anyone else's standards, what she had done was by no means slow or not obvious.

But, she had underestimated him and she damned herself for doing so. This was Luffy. He was the strongest man she had ever known. What did she expect him to do when she all but threw down the proverbial gauntlet in his lap?

Plus, she didn't expect him to be well. . .so sexually aware. She tried to ignore the nagging feeling in her mind and stab in her heart.

But, she started to realize what she had done when she spoke to Robin and Robin laid it all out for her. She was an idiot.

_One of the biggest reasons I love him is for his perceptiveness and ability to read people. He knew from the very beginning. He knew the whole time! But isn't this a good thing? He knows now. . .so why am I crying and so sad? I want him! I know I do!_

Now that the tables were turned on her and Luffy had the upper hand, she was terrified.

She knew her pride was hurt on some level because her interaction with Luffy had suddenly become something of a performance for the rest of the crew to watch.

_Performances shouldn't be a big deal for you, you do flaunt it most days, and hell, you've been known to flash the entire crew out of vengeance before_. Her inner voice supplied unhelpfully.

Nami tugged on her hair as she finally made it onto the Lion's head and flopped down on her butt, putting her back against one of the tall pieces of the Lion's mane, and bringing her knees to her chest and hugging them.

She could hear the rest of the crew behind her just faintly as the door to the kitchen swung open multiple times. She knew Luffy would come talk to her. Right now, she just felt like she couldn't get far enough away from him. She was freaking out and being hormonal, she knew.

_But what if he rejects me?_

_That's why I'm upset. I don't want just the sex, it's not enough_. Big tough, 'devil woman' Nami, the cat Burglar and Navigator, had been brought to her knees by Monkey D. Luffy.

Match point to the captain.

...

Back on the main deck in front of the door to the kitchen . . .

The grip on Luffy's shirt tightened as Sanji lifted him off his feet. Zoro shifted his weight and put his hand on Wado, but said nothing and took no further action. He knew his captain would handle this. He just prepared to do damage control as first mate if and only if Luffy gave him the word.

The rest of the crew looked on; they all knew Sanji was never one to use his hands, his most prized possessions as a cook, unless a situation really warranted it.

"Sanji." Luffy said it slowly and with purpose and didn't move a muscle when Sanji grabbed him.

He could have easily dodged or over-powered Sanji. Instead he just hung limp as Sanji lifted him in anger. His hat hung low over his eyes. Robin saw the tension in Luffy's arms and legs, like a beast that had gone still for a moment.

"WHAT. DID. YOU. DO. TO. MY NAMI-SAN!" Sanji growled as flames crept up his legs. His grip tightened and the other crew-members shifted, some of them unsure of what to do.

Chopper hadn't been this freaked out because of an argument between the crew since the fateful night that Usopp left them. Usopp was wringing his hands in concern, but like Zoro, he wasn't going to interfere. Franky merely watched, motionless. Brook had his bony hands on his cheeks in silent exclamation.

"SANJI!" Luffy yelled and the whole crew trembled as they felt a diminished blast of Conqueror's Haki wash over them. Their Senchou was definitely asserting his authority.

The blast momentarily disarmed Sanji; his eyes widened and his grip loosened slightly as he put Luffy back on his feet. He looked like he had just woken up and realized what he was doing. He did not, however, completely remove the grip his incredibly strong cook-hands had on Luffy's shirt.

In one quick gesture Luffy lifted his head to meet Sanji dead in the eyes and his straw hat fell back onto his shoulder blades on its string at the motion. Luffy's brow was contorted and his eyes were filled with a ferocity that only he could ever express; he looked wild and just barely contained, but focused like a guided missile. The look was known strike fear into most, but Luffy knew his crew. He just wanted to be clear that he wasn't playing games right now.

Sanji ground his teeth in answer to Luffy's gaze.

"Sanji. Let me get to Nami." Luffy said with deadly calm.

Sanji sighed and released his grip on Luffy's shirt completely, but made no motion to remove himself from blocking Luffy's path-his legs still blazing with heat, though more faintly. He broke his gaze with Luffy to extract a cigarette from his chest pocket. He slowly brought it to his lips as he grimaced at Luffy and lit it with control.

"And why should I let a shitty-man like you talk to my Nami-san when you so obviously made her cry?" Sanji said in a soft voice that contrasted greatly with his body language.

Luffy said nothing for one heartbeat. . .two. He didn't move. The rest of the crew froze and waited.

"Nami is my precious nakama and I promised to keep her smiling." Luffy stated as his wild stare continued unbroken, lasered at Sanji's face.

Sanji snorted and opened his mouth to respond after he took a drag, but Luffy beat him to the punch.

"To make her smile I have to go to her. And if you get in my way, I will be breaking that promise. Nami is my navigator and I want her to be my Pirate Queen too."

Behind them, the crew's jaws dropped. Sanji looked like he had been hit by lightening.

Luffy took a slow step toward Sanji and it looked like he was going to walk right into him. At the last second, Sanji gave just a bit to let Luffy pass. Luffy didn't change his trajectory at all; Sanji and the rest of the crew got the message: Luffy was getting to Nami and he was either going _through_ Sanji, or Sanji could step aside.

"Luffy. . . " Sanji said as he took another drag and tilted his head up to look at the millions of stars above the ship on this particularly clear night. Luffy stopped walking and only turned his head to just gaze over his shoulder using his peripherals.

Sanji blew a plume of smoke up at the stars.

"If you ever hurt her deeply, I will never cook for you again." Stillness fell on the crew. Only the sound of water splashing on the hull and creaking of the mast and slight rustle of the sail in the gentle evening wind broke the silence.

Zoro smiled first at Luffy. _I knew he loved her_. And secondly, he smiled at Sanji-not because he thought Sanji might actually leave the crew, but because he knew Sanji-in his own way-was saying he was OK with Luffy and Nami through such a promise. It would be like Luffy saying he wouldn't become Pirate King. They all had faith in each of their promises, including Sanji's promise to be the cook. Plus, no one could leave a pirate crew without the captain's permission.

Luffy understood immediately too and so, still glancing at Sanji over his shoulder, his fierce gaze resolved into a smile.

"OK. Sanji. I promise." With that, Luffy Gomu-Gomu-ed up to the Lion's head.

...

Behind him, the rest of the crew was finally broken out of the daze created by Luffy's confession.

"This is wonderful! I'll go serenade them in their special moment with some music. Yohoho!" Brook made to go after Luffy.

"Are we sure that Luffy really knows what to say to Nami when she's upset? Maybe Don-Juan-Usopp should be there to give him tips." Usopp puffed out his chest.

"Nami will be Pirate Queen?! This is so cool! I will have more crew members to play with! Yay!" Chopper started prancing around.

Then simultaneously, Sanji tripped Brook to prevent his forward progress, Franky grabbed Usopp's shoulder to get his attention and then shook his head, and Robin bent over to pet Chopper and gently asked him to be patient and quiet down.

Sanji, Franky, and Robin directed each of their quarries back inside to try to give the burgeoning couple some privacy.

Zoro, who brought up the rear, chuckled.

"I think we've each done enough meddling with those two. Let's let them work this out on their own." Zoro smirked.

Sanji sighed as he looked over his shoulder and eyed Zoro.

"For once I agree with you, Marimo. If my sweet Nami has any chance at happiness it's with our shitty Captain." Everyone balked at Sanji's confession.

"Did you know cook-san?" Robin asked with wide eyes.

"Of course, I've seen how my precious Nami-san acts around him. Besides, the strongest among us should have the hand of the most precious of ladies." Sanji smiled despite the haggard look in his eyes as he pointedly looked at Franky and then Robin.

"OW! Did you know about us too, Sanji?" Franky asked.

"Of course. I always pay attention to the princesses on board. You've been making her happy you shitty-cyborg, so I've let things slide. But, if you hurt my black-haired beauty, I will make you wish you could transform your crotch to rebuild it." Franky flinched.

"That would be very. . . UN-super." They all chuckled as they headed back inside.

"But, what about you Sanji, aren't you upset that you didn't end up with Nami or Robin?" Usopp asked. Sanji sighed again.

"As long as they are happy, I am too. Besides, THINK of all the bountiful beauties there are in the world." Sanji noodled a bit for emphasis.

"Always a bridesmaid, never a bride, huh, shitcook?" Zoro added as he entered the kitchen and shut the door.

Muffled through the walls, a "well, you are the one wearing a giant-green dress you piece-of-shit-marimo" followed by a loud and disgruntled "OI" could be heard.

...

Luffy landed a few feet behind Nami as she sat facing the sea on the lion's head.

The tears hadn't stopped flowing since she sat down and came to her realization.

Her better judgment told her she was being downright emo and moody by continuing to act this way, but she just couldn't help it. It was three parts her pride, but she had realized she truly and deeply wanted Luffy to feel just as strongly about her and not just want to sleep with her. The thought that he might reject her feelings hung heavy on her heart; or even worse she feared that they'd just become some sort of 'nakama with benefits' situation. She wondered if Luffy was even interested in a relationship.

_It'd probably interfere with becoming Pirate King. God I'm such an idiot_.

She was moping and Luffy knew it. But, he didn't care. He had decided that he was done being obtuse. He was barrelling into this head on. Some part of him registered that he should have just done it this way in the first place-it was his way after all and it was the quickest way to get to the bottom of things.

"Go away, Luffy." Nami said through her arms as she sat with her forehead on her knees, hugging herself.

Above all else, she definitely didn't want him to see her like this. Sure, he had been the only one to witness her complete and total break down back in Cocoyashi Village when she had cut herself and he had been the one to protect her and put her back on her feet. But, this time . . .this time she felt ashamed to cry in front of him.

"No." Luffy didn't move.

"I said, GO away, Luffy. I mean it!" She tried to put some of the usual threat in her voice that she used when the boys did something stupid and she pummeled them-but it fell flat this time. She just sounded like a whimpering mess. Now she was embarrassed too.

_Great. He probably thinks I'm some sort of hormonal idiot. Good job, Nami, way to be attractive._

"NO." He said with more conviction. She heard him walk closer to her. She hoped her long orange locks would shield the parts of her face that she didn't have buried in her arms.

She sniffled.

"Please leave!" She pleaded, desperate to prevent further pain and rejection.

"This is my ship! I'm not leaving." His stern voice shook her.

"Why are you crying?" His voice didn't have any emotional inflection that she could hear. It only sounded stern. She couldn't read it at all. It also sounded like he was less than a foot from her now.

She didn't respond except to sniffle uncontrollably again.

"Stop crying." Luffy said again, the sternness never leaving his voice. That was it.

Nami looked up, her face striped with tears and her eyes huge from the way she was feeling.

"And because you're captain does that give you the right to tell me to stop crying too?" She said with bite.

Luffy's eyes widened briefly at seeing her face and at the pain in her eyes and in her words. Some part of Nami felt vengeful pride that he had some sort of reaction from seeing her in pain.

_Even if he doesn't want me like I want him, I know he cares about me as a nakama._

Luffy studied her face and she was overwhelmed when she thought she saw compassion in his eyes for a second. But she flinched when his brow furrowed and he looked at her with sternness again.

"Nami. Stop crying." He said it again with more firmness.

"NO!" She screamed. Then he did something she wasn't expecting, he sunk to his knees next to her. But, he still had that look of aggression in his eyes-almost like he was scolding her for being foolish.

He leaned in and his eyes shifted to that fiercely intense gaze he gave her during breakfast today.

"Nami. Either you have a reason to be crying or you should stop crying." He stared at her and she felt a blush color her cheeks.

"So if you won't stop crying, then you must have a reason." Somehow his simple logic had her opening her mouth to answer him.

"I'm crying because you hurt me." He flinched and she saw pain in his eyes. She was shocked as he reached to grab her wrists. He eyed them carefully like he was looking for marks.

"Did I grab you too hard back there?" The concern in his voice had her tears drying up.

"No. That's not what I mean." His eyes met hers, waiting for her to explain. He still had his hands softly gripping her wrists. She felt a ripple shooting up her body at his touch.

"I mean, when you put my fingers in your mouth-" She started with a blush.

"Did that not feel good? Because I can try again?" he asked. The light blush that was on her cheeks turned crimson.

She trembled as she also felt his thumbs running slow circles over the inside of her wrists. The intensity of his gaze was disarming her. _No. not like this. I don't care if I seem over-emotional._

She slipped her hands from his grip and stood up, backing away from him. The stern look was back in his eyes as she watched him.

"No. Luffy. I mean yes, I liked it. So you don't have to try again-" She said as she crossed her arms trying unsuccessfully trying to keep her eyes from his gaze.

He stood up too, a look of exasperation on his face to match the sternness.

"Then what's the problem?" He asked bluntly.

"That's not all I want. I don't want to just be sex to you." There she said it. She turned away from him.

"Nami. You're dumb." He said with irritation.

"What?! How the hell am I dumb? OK. Maybe I didn't realize how quickly you'd notice me coming on to you and I'm sorry for wanting more; but, how could you SAY that?!" She yelled at him. Her anger had her facing him now and waving her arms. She wasn't afraid of being embarrassed anymore.

His brow furrowed and she could see his irritation morphing into anger. She continued now, seeing his anger growing only made hers grow even faster.

"I'm sorry if I'm too dumb to be able to want it to just be casual sex between us. But, goddamnit, Luffy. I can't help how I feel." She pushed him once on the shoulder. She saw him flinch in surprise at the contact, but he didn't move at all from the spot; he was rooted in place.

Quite the contrary, she could see his eyes taking on that fierce intensity he used when he was about to fight or use Haki to get someone out of his way.

Nami, who was never afraid of him and never would be, plunged forward. She was going to bare it all to him. At this point, she figured, why not just go for broke. It might be easier if she could push him away for good. It would be better than this.

Nami had always been reckless, and the thought of Luffy only wanting sex from her hurt so much it made her downright destructive.

"I appreciate that you find me attractive, _senchou,"_ she said snidely. "And I appreciate that you caught on so quickly. In fact, I have no doubt that you would be pretty amazing in bed, but I don't want to be the nakama you happen to sleep with. That isn't fucking enough for me." She shoved him again, harder this time. She could see him grinding his teeth.

"Maybe I'm dumb too for thinking you'd want any sort of relationship to get in the way of you being Pirate King. Yea. That is pretty fucking dumb of me." She laughed without mirth and felt more tears prick her eyes. She wiped them away vigorously.

She saw him clench his fists out of the corner of her eyes.

"But that doesn't give you the right to think you can just use me for fun. I mean I know what your priorities are Luffy. But, you really know how to make a girl feel like shi-" Luffy moved so fast she didn't see the blur before he was on her.

She wasn't sure when he switched to second gear, but he must have. He caught her arms above her head with one of his hands and slammed her to the wall against the Lion's mane. His body caged her in. His other hand was flat on the wall by her hip.

"NAMI! YOU ARE SO DUMB!" She was frozen still in shock at how quickly he moved. She wasn't sure if she was trembling in shock at his close proximity or from his touch.

"HOW AM I DUMB LUFFY?!" She yelled back-defiant-in his face.

Then he did it. With that look of ferocity in his eyes, his head dove toward hers and he crushed her lips in a searing kiss. She moaned into the kiss-despite herself-as she felt his teeth lightly come down and nip her bottom lip. His body pressed into hers and she heard the wood creak by her hip as Luffy put pressure on the hand he had there like he was holding back even now.

She was swimming in the contact, but still angry, so she pulled her lips away.

The fierce gaze was back as he let her pull away-his body still leaning into hers.

"OF COURSE I DON'T WANT JUST SEX FROM YOU!" He shook her slightly for emphasis. Her eye widened. She squirmed to try to get out of his grip, confused. His hand held both of hers firmly, above her on the wall.

"What?" She was dumbfounded. Unable to stop himself, he leaned in for another smoldering kiss. This one was a bit longer and more lingering. Nami couldn't help arching her body into his. She heard him groan deeply in his throat.

As he started to pull away from the kiss first this time, he caught her bottom lip with his mouth and sucked on it, pulled a bit before releasing it.

He stared at her. Her face was flushed, her pupils dilated, her lips swollen and pink from his kisses, her breathing ragged. His Haki senses had overcome him. The wave of her pain and sorrow combined with her desire for him made him break. He couldn't take it anymore.

"Nami. You are my navigator. Stop trying to push me away. I can't be Pirate King without you by my side." Her heart swelled as she eyed him still frozen and waiting for the 'but' in his words and for the bottom to drop out and her heart to be broken.

"What . . .?" She had to be misunderstanding him. . .because it sounded like . . .

"This is why you're dumb." She raised her eyebrows at him in slight irritation.

"Why didn't you just tell me how you feel, Nami?" Her jaw dropped as she recited the day's events in her mind, in particular, the decision early this morning that just telling Luffy about her feelings would be 'too easy.'

She felt his free hand come up from its place on the wall and caress her face. Her eyes slide closed at the contact. Luffy felt his heart throbbing in his chest at the combined effect of touching her and being so close to her and the waves of tentative happiness and pleasure rolling off of her through his Haki senses.

"I. . .I don't know." she said honestly.

"I did like the meat you shared with me at dinner and the stuff you made for me at lunch. It was really good. Shishishi." His huge grin was back.

"Luffy?" He stopped laughing to eye her seriously again, releasing the grip on her wrists at the same time.

"What are you saying?" She shyly reached up and caressed both of his cheeks with her now free hands. She had to be sure. She didn't want any more doubt to ever sink into her heart about him. His cheeks were softer than she thought they'd be. She didn't fail to notice the blush that stained his cheeks at her touch, either.

"I'm saying, what took you so long, Nami? I've known I was going to make you my Pirate Queen since the day I met you." His smile was so big at that moment it could encompass the entire Grand Line and then some.

Nami felt tears in her eyes fall, unbidden.

Luffy reached out to wipe away the tears.

"Now why are you crying?" He asked in the confused voice that was so characteristic of a silly and relaxed Luffy.

"Now, who's dumb, Luffy?" She pulled his face into hers as she kissed him.

**~~~Yay! Only one chapter left. Please review and tell me what you thought.**


	5. Midnight Snack

**The usual disclaimers:**

**I do not own the wonderful Straw Hats or the One Piece universe; I'm only borrowing it from the Great Eiichiro Oda.**

**_I also do not own the amazing image used for this story. It's created by the amazing IamAsami and called (very fitingly) "Look Into My Heart." Thank you, IamAsami for giving me permission to use it for my story! IT'S perfect!~_**

_Alright guys, finnnnally posting this last chapter. My immense apologies. I just haven't had time until recently to finish it and get it up. *Bows and apologizes profusely* Sorry! ! *Runs to hide!_

_**This chapter is officially the reason why this story is rated M! No real lemon (sorry Fanfiction doesn't like MA stuff! it's not allowed :(..but it's definitely about as suggestive as suggestive can be I think! :D So enjoy if you like and you have been warned! **_

...

Now that dinner had been cleaned up with the help of the rest of the crew, Sanji had a moment's peace to contemplate the day as he watched the bubbles burst around the soaking pots and pans in the sink as he finished tidying up alone in the kitchen.

Usopp, Brook, and Chopper went outside moments earlier, saying something about star-gazing on the lawn-deck.

Franky and Robin had insisted on joining them-more to make sure the leering trio didn't make any attempts to disturb Nami and their Senchou as they worked things out at the Lion's head.

Zoro offered-rudely-Sanji thought, to assist him in washing the remaining pots and pans so he didn't get "shit-swirl-dishpan hands." Sanji practically created a new hole in Zoro's body through which he could hang his shitty-marimo swords with the kick he gave him in response.

Finally left to his own devices to think, Sanji couldn't help but smile despite everything as he took a final drag on his dwindling cigarette and put it out in the nearby ashtray.

His lovely Robin-chwan had fallen for the shitty-cyborg Franky ages ago. Sanji had seen that coming from early on when Franky first joined the crew after Enies Lobby. He had nothing but gratitude for the cyborg-despite his shittiness-because of how happy he makes his lovely Robin. She deserved whatever her heart desired after such a hard life.

Sanji shook his head as he thought of the finally open acknowledgement of feelings between Luffy and his most precious Nami-schwan.

Nami. Sanji had a lot of protective instincts toward his beautiful Nami-schwan. That wasn't to say that Robin-chwan wasn't equally as precious, but he had known Nami for much longer and he had seen the deepest corner of her pain in Cocoyashi village when they saved her from Arlong.

Sanji would never settle for anyone less than one of his fellow male nakama for Nami. Yes, even the ugly-shag-carpet-marimo would have been acceptable if Nami had feelings for him. Sanji would have taken her declaration in stride. Of course, Sanji had been hoping against hope that she might select him to be her knight in shining armor.

But, he had always known that Luffy was her choice. He had also always known that Luffy held a candle for her and her alone among all the woman he had encountered in the world. If the most beautiful woman in the world, Boa Hancock, could not distract Luffy-then he knew that his feelings for Nami ran deeper than what would be possible for any normal man.

Sanji sighed. His sliver of hope in winning Nami that was alit again for a short time this morning, now promptly snuffed out, he chuckled.

"The least I can do as the best cook on the grandline is to ensure that Luffy has enough energy to keep Nami satisfied." Sanji's eyes took on a perverted glow as he thought of Nami's satisfaction.

"Hur. hur. Melllllorine." He noodled around a bit as he rummaged and thought up ridiculous plans to include more meat in the menu for Luffy in the future.

Another match point to the captain.

...

"So does this mean that we are going to have a Pirate Wedding once Luffy becomes Pirate King?" Chopper asked with open joy as he sat up from his position on the lawn to look at Usopp and Brook who were still on their backs beside him.

"I would be more than happy to provide a symphony with music that uplifts the spirits as well as other parts of the anatomy at such a ceremony. YOHOHOHO!" Brook announced beside him.

Usopp made muffled gagging noises.

"Really, Brook. Hentai." Usopp shook his head to rid himself of the image of Nami and Luffy doing the nasty.

"Wait. I don't get it." Chopper said innocently.

Usopp blanched and sweatdropped.

"You explain." Usopp turned to Brook, who opened his mouth with the intention of explaining, no doubt, when he was interrupted by the soft voice of Robin from over their shoulders.

"Chopper-san, why don't we go into the library later. I have a few medical books there that should help explain humans a little bit more for you."

"Really?! Thanks, Robin."

Usopp sighed in relief and Brook shrugged.

From a few feet away, with his back leaning up against the railing, Zoro snickered.

"Do you have any books in there on Cyborg anatomy too?" Robin promptly blushed and laughed along with Zoro.

"OW! What do you mean by that, Zoro?" Franky asked in indignation.

"Nothing at all. I just see you with a giant grin on your face most mornings." Zoro's smile grew as he winked at Robin who blushed even harder.

Franky seemed to catch on as he blushed too.

"I am surrounded by pervs. Ack! My unable to handle perverts disease is acting up." Usopp cringed as he clutched his heart in mock pain.

The others rolled their eyes and chuckled at him.

...

When Nami pulled his face into hers for a kiss, Luffy felt his need to be as close to her as possible overwhelm him. But, he knew his navigator, his Nami, and he still had enough sense to realize that he shouldn't let himself get carried away with her too fast.

Plus, for the first time in his life, Luffy found something he wanted to share even less than meat.

No, he wanted Nami all to himself forever and he certainly wasn't going to take her right here on the front of Thousand Sunny; however badly he might want to and however hot it might be as Captain to claim his Queen for the first time literally on the deck of his ship, he wasn't going to do it when his sensitive hearing could still pick up the voices of the rest of the crew on the lawn deck.

Plus he still wasn't 100% sure why Nami was crying again. He could feel the happiness and arousal coming off her and rolling through his Haki senses, but Nami did have mystery feelings sometimes, so he wanted to be sure he uncovered them all now that she was officially his.

So, he pulled away from the kiss.

Nami opened her eyes slowly and looked up at Luffy with a hazy lust in her gaze. A few tears of joy were still making their way down her cheeks. Luffy just stared at her as he stroked her face with concern in his eyes.

"Are you ok, Luffy?" Nami asked as she stroked his face in return. He leaned into her touch and closed his eyes briefly at the contact. But, he opened them again, still focused on her.

"I still don't get why you are crying again, Nami." Nami blushed and her eyebrow twitched. Her Captain's stupidity was normally something that would earn him a swift punch over the head in situations like this.

_Err. Well. We haven't ever been in a situation like this. Eeee!_ Inner Nami was running around in circles and squealing with glee in her mind.

So, Nami just couldn't bring herself to be irritated with him. The pleading concern in his eyes and his intense effort to make sure she was OK was the most endearing thing she had ever seen and only made her fall for him even more. A few more tears leaked out.

Luffy's eyes widened.

"GAH! Nami. What did I do? Am I going too fast?"

Luffy was pretty sure he was doing OK so far. This was literally his first anything with a girl. But, he had been well educated in the wiles of pleasing a woman thanks to his beloved brother, Ace, which at the time had been the most 'yucky' and 'gross' talk he had ever had with his brother. But Ace had insisted and Luffy was now very thankful. Now that he thought about doing the things that Ace described to Nami, they didn't seem 'yucky' or 'gross' at all. Quite the opposite, Luffy couldn't wait to try them out.

But, he didn't remember Ace telling him anything about what tears meant in these situations. He was starting to panic a bit. She smiled at him and grabbed his face more firmly in her hands so he couldn't fidget.

"Luffy." She kissed him again quickly.

"These tears mean something wonderful." He stared at her, with intensity, waiting to hear the secret to this mystery behavior.

"They mean I'm in love with you." Luffy's eyes widened and the cheeseball grin was back.

"O! OK, Nami! I'm in love with you too."

Nami's blush came back with a vengeance as her jaw dropped. Luffy had essentially said he wanted to be with only her when he proclaimed her his destined Pirate Queen a few minutes ago, but for him to actually come out and say that he was in love with her so easily baffled her.

Before she could collect her thoughts, however, Luffy's lips found their way to her throat. She couldn't help the moan that erupted from her still parted lips.

"Luffy!" He sucked on the spot just where her pulse was the strongest at the juncture of her neck and her jawbone. Her hands clutched at his hair.

After he sucked until he was sure he had marked her with a hickey-his first of many marks he wanted to put all over her body-he came up for air to inspect his handiwork on her face.

His own face was flushed at hearing her moan his name and from burying his face in her neck and wonderful smell. What he experienced when he looked at her sent a shiver down his spine and caused the protective and territorial instincts he already felt toward Nami to grow exponentially.

Nami's face was flushed and she was staring at him with need, but he could also feel the surge of her desire for him through his Haki senses; but most of all he could smell her arousal and the heady feeling almost made him sway on his feet. _My Nami. Mine._

That alone had him moaning her name in return. He dove into her mouth for another kiss.

Unlike their prior kisses, this kiss was raw and untamed and filled with years of pining and yearning for one another. Both of them were very close to coming undone. Their hands groped and clutched down each others heads, shoulders, arms, and backs.

Luffy's hands found purchase on Nami's backside through her shorts. He squeezed and he could feel her arch and shudder into his touch under his palms. Their tongues were engaged in a fierce battle as they kissed more deeply.

Neither of them was quite sure who whimpered first when Nami's clothed breasts were sandwiched against Luffy's exposed chest.

He squeezed her even closer to his body as his left hand left her back side and guided them until she was again pressed flush up against one of the walls of the Lion's Mane behind them.

The dull ache between Nami's legs was beginning to smolder and now that she knew that Luffy felt just as strongly about her as she did about him, she was ready to throw caution to the wind; she was back on her one track goal of mounting him, here and now.

She broke away from his lips to return the favor by kissing and sucking hard on his neck. She could hear and feel his labored breathing beneath her fingertips as she ran her hands down his pectorals.

He groaned when she stopped momentarily to rub her thumbs on his nipples. As her hands continued their progress down his washboard abs, she broke away from his neck.

She wanted to watch his face while she touched him. She wanted to marvel in his body and marvel in the fact that Luffy was finally hers. She didn't want to miss a second of his reactions.

When her hands reached his lower abs, she felt his body start to tremble with restraint. She caught his eyes.

His look was hungry and downright predatory.

"Nami. . ." His voice was pleading and held restraint. He grabbed her wrists and pinned them above her head again and then grabbed one of her ass cheeks in each hand and lifted her body against his.

Nami's legs instinctually wrapped around his hips as their still-clothed lower bodies came together. She grabbed frantically at his shoulders as her hands fisted in his shirt. He could feel her nails digging into his skin.

They both cried out at the contact through their clothes. Luffy rolled his hips and ground his arousal into her. He kissed her again and pressed hard against her lips before drawing back.

Nami could still feel him shaking against her. She caressed his cheek with one of her hands as she saw a grimace on his face. His eyes came level to look at her.

"Nami. I've never done this before." His look was filled with such a powerful need for her and yet also so innocent at the same time that Nami felt her thighs and her heart clench simultaneously.

"It's OK, Luffy, I've never done this before either. You are my first and my last everything." His smile returned again for a second as he pressed his forehead against hers.

"You are my first and last everything too, Nami." She stroked his hair as his warm breath fanned her face and released butterflies in her stomach.

"But, Nami, Ace told me that the first time will hurt the girl. I don't ever want to hurt you. Plus Ace warned me about 'going slow' because girls don't like feeling rushed into these things." Nami raised her eyebrows at him and smirked.

"But, all I can think about right now is jamming my body between your legs and hearing you scream out my name for everyone to hear right now. Is that normal?" Nami's thighs clenched again at the picture Luffy painted. Something told her that along with most other things, Luffy's instincts, despite his lack of experience, would prove that he was a natural genius in this department too. She thanked the universe at what a catch he is.

"Um. Yes, Luffy, I think that's very normal. . ." She almost told him that she really, really wanted him to jam his body between her legs over and over again too.

"But, you are probably right. We should at least go see about the rest of the crew." Inner Nami cursed her common sense as she agreed with Luffy.

Luffy nodded his head as he deposited her back on the ground and they disentangled.

He made to step away, but she caught his shirt with her hand and moved in to kiss him again. When she pulled back his lips were still shaped from their kiss like he was mesmerized.

She leaned in to whisper in his ear.

"O and Luffy, because we are a couple now, you should know that I'll want you to jam your body between my legs a whole lot." She bit his ear as she pulled back and turned to jump down to the deck. Every muscle in Luffy's body clenched at Nami's confession.

"Come on, Luffy, let's go join the others." She called over her shoulder.

"Shishishishi! OK, Nami." Luffy hung back for a second to rearrange his pants to conceal himself a bit more-good thing they were baggy-and followed her.

...

Earlier, back on the lawn deck . . .

Usopp, Chopper, Brook, Franky, Robin, and Zoro all turned when they heard the door to the kitchen open behind them and saw Sanji turn off the lights and step out.

"Oi. Shit cook. do you need an anatomy lesson? Robin was just offering to give one to Chopper in the library in a few minutes; figured you might want to sit in and make sure you are up to speed." Zoro's smile of mirth from moments ago grew into an evil smirk.

Sanji's curly eyebrows twitched.

Before Sanji could retort, however, the crew heard the sound of heeled sandals landing on the deck and they looked up to see Nami followed a minute later by Luffy jumping down from the Lion's head and walking toward them.

They both looked very flushed. Nami looked a little shy as she waved to them. Before she could get much closer however-with a look of deviousness from over her shoulder-Luffy charged up from behind her and snatched her up and off her feet and swung her over his shoulder.

His grin was filled with pride and ridiculouslessness.

"Luffy! You idiot! Put me down! I'm not a sack of potatoes, so don't carry me like one."

Luffy just laughed and pranced around the deck whilst yelling: "SACK OF POTATOES. SACK OF POTATOES," with Nami still slung over his shoulder and fidgeting in an attempt to get down.

The rest of the crew couldn't help but smile and laugh at their antics.

Franky turned to Robin.

"Oi, SugarMuffin, would you like to be carried that way?" Robin smiled at Franky as she reached up to caress his cheek.

"It does look like fun." She said honestly-although she wasn't thinking of partaking right this moment.

Contrary to her expectations and much to her surprise, Franky swung to his feet with a devious smirk and gathered up Robin before she had a chance to scamper away in her surprise and swung her over his shoulder in the same fashion. This is largely why she loved Franky-she just never knew what to expect from him and he always kept her laughing because of it.

So, Instead of fighting it, Robin just laughed happily.

"Let's go play too Sugar-muffin." Franky called as he sauntered over. As Luffy noticed that someone else was joining in his potato-sack game, he smiled.

"FRANKY ROBIN! Let's have a potato sack over the shoulder race!" When Franky and Luffy were side by side, Robin, over Franky's shoulder, turned to Nami still over Luffy's and smiled.

"I'm glad to see it worked out Nami-san." Nami sighed and rolled her eyes, but she also couldn't help but smile.

"Me too." Nami turned toward the two boys who were currently carrying them and yelled however.

"If you two MORONS are going to race like this, you better not drop us or sway too much or we might puke all over you." She threatened.

"Eww. Gross, Nami!" Luffy stuck out his tongue. Back on the other side of the deck, Usopp stood up.

"Well, if you can't beat 'em, join 'em." He bent down and swung Chopper over his shoulder who cheered.

"YAY! I'm the potato sack! Yay!" They lined up next to Frank and Luffy in the impromptu 'race.'

Brook was taking out his violin to start some race music as he made his way over to be the unofficial referee, which just left Zoro and Sanji.

Zoro waggled his eyebrows at Sanji and made a gesture like he was going pick Sanji up and swing him over his shoulder.

"DON'T even THINK about it, you praying-mantis-vomit Marimo!" Sanji yelled as he maneuvered his body away from Zoro's outstretched arms.

"Fine, suit yourself, shit cook." Zoro turned and picked up a bag of rice from the storage closet nearby and joined in the race.

Sanji grumbled and got a bag of rice _slightly bigger_ than Zoro's and joined in too.

...

Once the race had thoroughly exhausted everyone and Usopp seemed to have won-Brook wasn't entirely sure and thus failed as the referee. Then, Luffy promptly accused Usopp of cheating because Chopper was the smallest (to which Nami pinched his rubber cheeks and said "you idiot, never insinuate that your girlfriend is fat"), they all headed for bed.

Robin reminded Chopper that they could review the particular medical books she had in mind tomorrow-to which Chopper smiled in agreement.

Chopper, Usopp, Sanji, and Brook went below deck and promptly called goodnight to the others as Franky and Robin openly made their way to Franky's sleeping area in his workshop and did the same.

Zoro waved goodnight as he took up watch position from the crow's nest.

Once again, just Luffy and Nami were left on the main deck.

They walked toward what was officially just Nami's room hand-in-hand (since Robin had moved the last of her things to the room she shared with Franky now that their relationship was public).

Once they arrived at Nami's door, Luffy leaned in to give Nami a chaste, but lingering kiss on her lips. He touched her cheek and smiled at her.

"Goodnight, Nami." Confused, Nami watched as he turned and walked back toward the guys' room.

"Wait. Luffy. . ." He turned to look at her, his hat still resting on his back as it hung from its string on his shoulders, his black hair was wild and wind blown with salt. He looked older and so handsome staring back up at her. He was the Pirate King-he was a true Captain and he was hers.

"Luffy. . .I don't share this room with anyone anymore. . .would you like to share it with me?" He didn't say anything for a minute as he just looked at her with big eyes.

"It could be our room. . ." She blushed.

Luffy walked back toward her never breaking his intense and deep gaze at her.

"Ok, Nami, I would to love to share this room with you." He furrowed his brow and broke their stare.

"But, I can't promise that I'll be able to keep my hands off of you-" she interrupted his concerned explanation when she reached out to grab the waistband of his shorts.

He looked back at her with wide eyes.

"That's good, Luffy. Because I intend to put my hands all over you." With that, she opened her door and pulled him in with her by the waistband of his shorts.

...

Sometime later around midnight, when they were finally laying naked before each other and still exploring, but still had yet to consummate their relationship, Luffy was awestruck by the incredible view of Nami's naked form and the overpowering smell of her arousal. He smiled at her and laughed.

"Shishishishi." Nami flinched and sweatdropped.

"What's so funny, Luffy?"

"You are the most beautiful woman in the world, with the most beautiful smell in the world." Nami's blush went straight down to her toes. It was disarming to have him staring at her naked body so openly and so hungrily. Of course, she was staring right back at his-in all his _big_ and naked muscled glory.

"And, Nami, I forgot to tell you how much I loved the piece of filet you fed me tonight." He smirked knowingly at her. She was definitely confused now.

"But I found something that smells much better than any meat and that I want to eat so much more and for the rest of my life." She looked at him at a loss for what he could mean as the predatory and hungry and intense stare came back into his face.

It was when he smothered his face in a low part of her body and she screamed out his name over and over that she figured out what he meant.

She was so worked up because of what Luffy did to her that she only felt a little pinch later when they gave themselves to each other.

They would both really have to thank Ace for what he taught Luffy when they met in the afterlife sometime.

Final Score: Luffy: 5 Nami: 0

**Please review! Love you guys.**


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